Jellicle University: The First Steps
by Laitie
Summary: Electra's first year of college! See all the crazy characters she meets and the fun and mess she has while adjusting to this new way of life!
1. Introductions!

**_So, this fic falls under a category I call "Somewhat Silly." The whole idea of it is cute and fun to read, but really something I would never do. But here I sit, thinking, 'Oh, what the Hell?' I'll give it a shot! Chapters will get longer, but I really do need some encouragement from my readers on this one! Enjoy!_**

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><p>"ELECTRA!" My new roommate came running into the room; dropping all the bags she had been carrying to envelope me in a big hug.<p>

"Uhm, nice to meet you..." I said weakly, wracking my brain to remember the name on the sheet of paper that listed off my roommate's name and other dorming information. "Etcetera, right?"

"Yup. Oh, gosh, I'm so glad to finally meet you!" she went on, letting me go. "I'm so sorry about that phone number the school gave you, this happened and that happened and all of a sudden I didn't have a phone and I lost the sheet that had your phone number on it but anyway I'm so happy we can finally talk! We're going to have such fun..." She rattled on and on as I helped her move in. I could tell instantly that at least my roommate wasn't going to be boring.

This is my first year at Jellicle University. Let me tell you, I'm pretty anxious about it. I was so nervous that I was the first one to move into my suite; a whole day earlier than everyone else. Etcetera's a freshman, too, but so far she doesn't seem too nervous about it. Neither do the other two freshmen in this suite, Jemima and Victoria. They're also roommates, living in the room next to us. Victoria seemed very confident about everything, and Jemima seemed too busy thinking about other things. In the room next to them two sophomores, Tantomile and Exotica moved in. They seemed to get along very well, and I suspect they asked for each other to be roommates. There was just one more room left empty in the suite.

The six of us gathered in the common room across from Tantomile and Exotica's room.

"We should all go get lunch together!" Etcetera announced.

"I dunno," Victoria said slowly. "I have a lot more unpacking to do, and classes start tomorrow."

"You have to eat some time," Jemima reasoned. "Might as well eat with each other. Get to know each other."

"Is the dining hall even open?" Exotica asked her roommate.

"I would think so," Tantomile said. "I'm pretty sure it was last year."  
>"Great, we'll all go to the dining hall!" Etcetera said. "And maybe movie night in here tonight!"<p>

"Anyone got a TV and DVD Player we could hook up?" Jemima asked.

"Sure," Victoria offered.

"Electra, why are you so quiet? Are you OK?" Etcetera turned her bright face towards me, her brow furrowed.

"I'm fine," I said, my eyes wide. I didn't really like talking much in big groups like this. Usually, I just preferred to listen.

"What do you think about lunch and movies?"

"Sounds like fun," I said with a grin. Anything to take my thoughts from the first day of classes. I knew I was going to forget something. My bag, a class, I don't know, but something.

Etcetera knocked me out of my trance as she took my arm. "C'mon, let's go!" she said excitedly. How can you be so excited about going to lunch? But I grinned back and walked with everyone else. We were this big mass of queens walking the sidewalks of the campus, Tamtomile and Exotica leading the way.

"What do they serve at the dining hall?" Victoria asked.

"It's buffet-style," Exotica said. "They have a lot of different food."  
>"Like fish?" Jemima asked hopefully.<p>

"Every day," Tantomile said before a tom sidled up beside her. He looked exactly like her, and the two walked in perfect harmony, unlike the rest of us who were jumbling about so. "This is my brother," she introduced to us, "Coricopat." I nodded a greeting as everyone else rattled off nice-to-meet-you's and wow-you're-identical-twins'. What a funny group of cats.

The dining hall was amazing. Very different from what I've been told about college food! They had tons of different kinds of food, and none of it seemed horribly greasy or such. We settled down at this huge table where many more toms soon came to join us. It was like we were all already friends or something, the way they all gathered. I still can't keep the toms straight, but I remember a few names: Pouncival, Quaxo, Alonzo. There were some familial relations mentioned, too. I can remember that Plato is Etcetera's brother. But that's about it.

Luckily for me, everyone was too busy chatting with each other and sharing their summer or moving-in stories with everyone else that no one bothered me about my silence. And I had plenty of conversations to turn my ear to as I nibbled on my rat sandwich and did not think about tomorrow.


	2. First Day Here We Go

I awoke to my phone vibrating beneath my pillow. I groaned and rolled over, grabbing the phone and pushing the button to shut it up. It took two more alarms from that blasted phone to convince me out of bed. I glared over at the clock: 7:00am. I sighed and looked back over at Etcetera. She didn't have a class until noon. Lucky her, I had class at eight. I set my alarms up early just to make sure I wouldn't mess anything up for my first class. I gathered each and every thing I needed for my classes for the morning; checking and double checking everything twice. I had a really long break later in the morning before my afternoon class, I reminded myself. I didn't need that class' materials. With a sigh, I glanced at my phone that said 7:30am. Well, maybe the coffee shop by that dining hall will be open.

I stood awkwardly in the coffee shop. I really shouldn't have caffeine. Caffeine makes my life miserable. But I was so tired. And still had a while until class. I could grab a muffin, too, and sit for a few minutes. Maybe it'll help calm me. I approached the line and found myself standing behind a tom I recognized.

"Oh, hi," he said with a grin, turning to face me.

"Hi," I said with a grin. Whatwashisname whatwashisname whatwashisname?

"I'm sorry, I never caught your name yesterday...?"

"Electra. Uhm..."

"That's right!" He offered me a wide grin. "I'm Tumblebrutus. You got class this morning?" He adjusted the green backpack that was loosely hanging from his shoulder. I thought about how he should tighten the strap so it wouldn't be so cumbersome.

"Yeah." Conversation, Electra. "Uhm, History. With Mr. Gus."

"Hey, me, too!" He looked like he had more to say, but the queen at the cash register called for his attention to order. I was too busy trying trying to figure out what coffee (there were so many choices!) to order to pay attention to what he ordered. He waved me over to the table he was sitting at after I picked up my vanilla-flavored coffee and chocolate chip muffin. He seemed so confident of himself this morning. Wasn't he a freshman, too? I'm pretty sure he was...

"Nerve-wracking, huh?" he asked. I looked up at him, confused. "Our first day of real college. I could barely sleep last night, to be honest." Really?

"Yeah, I know what you mean," I said before biting into my muffin. It was hard but warm and it felt good to put something in my mouth. "W-what's your major?"

"Theatre. Yours?"

"English. Uhm, to be a writer."

"That's cool."

"Mhm..."

"I wonder what this Gus guy is like?" He looked about casually, glancing at his watch.

"If he's anything like the history teachers in my high school, dry, old, and boring." It came out before I thought about it, but Tumblebrutus chuckled at it. I tried to hide my skin turning red beneath my fur.

"Yeah, sounds about right," he agreed. I decided I really liked this Tumblebrutus tom. He was very nice. We continued a nice conversation about high school and college applications until I finished my muffin. We walked to class together, and every moment that went by in his company made me breathe a little easier. I was even relieved to walk in the classroom and see that we were the first ones, save for the teacher who was exactly as I had expected, old and dry. He smiled politely at us as I took my comfort-seat in the front corner. I frowned to myself when Tumblebrutus made his way to the back, but then reminded myself that I shouldn't expect him to stick around me all the time. He had more confidence about meeting new people than I did.

The rest of my morning went rather smoothly. Of course, got some homework already. But that was expected—this is college. I made my way to my dorm to rest up for the class I was most excited about: Dance. I loved to dance more than anything. When I dance, the rest of the world just drips away and there's just me and the music. I have absolutely no worries when I dance.

I was called from my daydreaming when I opened the door to my suite and heard some sort of fight going on in the empty dorm room. Well, wait, it obviously wasn't empty, now. I was almost knocked over on my way to my room at the end of the hall when a black, leopard-spotted tom with a huge mane came backing out of the room with screaming. He seemed to be trying to calm the queen, and turned when he bumped into me.

"Oh, excuse me, darling," he said sweetly to me.

"That's just it!" the red queen yelled as she walked out. "Your constant flirting here and there! You're an unfaithful jerk!"

"Baby, c'mon, I was just apologizing for bumping her," he tried to reason. But this queen was pissed, and I knew no reasoning was going to happen with her. I scurried to my room and shut the door, trying to drown out their fight. I really hoped this wasn't going to be a usual occurrence. I looked about the room to see Etcetera had already left. Darn. Chatting with her would help distract me. In the end, I decided to retreat into my computer until my phone vibrated again. A text from Etcetera asking me to dinner with her and some friends. I typed that I'd love to come before seeing the time. I quickly gathered some things in my bag and raced out of the room. I was going to be late!

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><p><strong><em>I feel like this is going too slow. Is it going too slow?<em>**

**_PS: I'm taking this one as I go. If you have any ideas for anything at any time, let me know!_**

**_PPS: Cettie, you're the best :)  
><em>**


	3. Oh, Toms

I walked into the athletic building just in time. Everyone was gathered on the dance floor warming up. I threw my bag in the locker room, threw on my dance shoes, and sauntered on to the dance floor in front of the mirror. I loved big dance classes like this, because it was easier to stare at everyone else rather than yourself in the mirror.

I glanced about the room for a moment as I stretched my legs out. A couple familiar faces, several of the toms from yesterday's lunch. Oh, and there was Victoria! I didn't know she danced! Well, I suppose she has a very beautiful dancer's body.

I was about to get Victoria's attention when the instructor called for class to start. Mr. Skimbleshanks, he was? He was a very fun tom. He told us to call him "Skimble," it was just easier in his opinion. Maybe I'll just do Mr. Skimble, then. As this was a beginner's class, he told us he had to go through all the basics of all types of dance this semester. I groaned inwardly, but I suppose it's only fair. There had to be some cats in here that never danced a day in their life. The rest of class was pretty boring. He went through basic rules: never wear your dance shoes off the dance floor, always be on time, you're allowed on three absences, yadda yadda yadda. But at the end he put us through some exercises, and those kept me all pumped up and energized even after I changed my shoes and was on my way out of the building.

"Hey, Electra!" I turned to see Victoria's white figure running to catch up with me. "What, think you're too good to wait for your suite-mate?" But it was a joke and I grinned at her.

"Got any more classes today?" I asked her.

"Yeah, a night class. Sucks."

"Ew, that does suck. Is it long?"

"Two and a half hours!"

"Ouch. Good luck."

"Thanks."

We walked in an awkward silence for a while. I suddenly couldn't wait to get back to the dorm just to end this awkwardness.

"So...met any toms, yet?" Victoria asked. I was caught off guard, and looked over at her. She grinned. "There's this tom named Pouncival in my Bio class. He's kinda cute."

"Didn't he sit with us at lunch yesterday?" I was pretty sure I recognized his name, though don't even bother asking me what he looked like.

"I think so," she said thoughtfully. "Oh, and when I went to lunch, I saw this older tom, white with black patches. He was hot. Exotica told me his name was Alonzo, I think..."

"That's exciting," I said. I meant it, too. That she already had toms she was crushing on, and she really thought she had chance with them.

"Well, what about you?"

"What?"

She laughed. "Electra, have you seen any cute toms?"

"Well..." Only one had really caught my attention. But I barely knew Victoria and I didn't really want to talk about such things with her. But, then again, she seemed like she'd be a good friend, if I gave her the chance. "I met a tom this morning, Tumblebrutus. He was pretty cute." Well, he was pretty hot. Victoria grinned in satisfaction.

"I think I remember Tumblebrutus. He's not really my type, so you can have him." That was also a joke and she laughed and patted my arm. I grinned at her as we walked through the door to the dorm building. She chattered about all the cute toms in our dance class as we made our way to our suite. The door to the common room was open and Etcetera called us in when she heard us walk by.

"Our last suite-mates are here," my roommate said. I looked over to see the red queen from earlier and a gold queen together on the couch. I found a chair in a corner and listened in on the conversations. The red queen was Bombalurina, she was a Junior, and had just dumped her boyfriend, Tugger. The gold queen was Bombalurina's older sister, Demeter. She had a boyfriend named Munkustrap and she and him were both Seniors. They couldn't figure out why the school had placed them to room together, but it wasn't worth applying for a new roommate. I learned more about these queens than I really wanted to at this point, and when I looked at my phone, I realized we were going to be late for dinner. I tapped Etcetera's shoulder and showed her the time. She hurriedly said good-bye and walked out with me, Victoria, Jemima, and Tantomile.

"Who else is coming, Cettie?" Jemima asked. Cettie? What, nicknames, now? Was I going to get some weird nickname?

"I'm not sure, I invited a lot of cats," Etcetera said easily.

"You don't know?" Victoria asked.

"Oh, we'll just get a big table and let whoever shows up, show up."

A lot of cats showed up. It was like a repeat of yesterday's lunch. But it was good practice to get everyone's names and faces down. Tumblebrutus was there, and Quaxo sat across from me. He was in my dance class earlier. Pouncival, Plato, a tom named Alonzo. There also came a couple of queens, Cassandra and Rumpleteazer. There were more, but it was still too many for my poor little brain.

I also got distracted from my studying when Coricopat tried talking with me. I had been watching him and Tantomile closely, I was always fascinated with identical twins. They seemed more observant, like me. And thoughtful. Maybe that was how Coricopat noticed my silence. I wish cats wouldn't think I felt excluded because I was so quiet. But I suppose there's nothing to do about that.

I went to bed that night exhausted. At least I had gotten through the first day. Two more new classes tomorrow, and then hopefully things will fall into a rhythm. Etcetera's chattering on and on lulled me to sleep, and I barely remembered to set my phone alarm for the next morning. This day hadn't gone so bad, so maybe this college thing isn't so bad at all.


	4. The Nighttime Encounter

The next weeks did, indeed, fall into a rhythm. All the work piling up was getting a bit stressful, but I didn't have it nearly as bad as Etcetera. The poor queen was so disorganized. She's already handed in three assignments late, she told me. She was starting to get really stressed, though she didn't let anyone besides me see that. We've gotten pretty close. I know so much about her already, and I feel I can trust her with most things. Like how I'm really no looking forward to winter break. She doesn't press, though, if I stop talking.

Jemima and Victoria are feeling the stress, too. High school did nothing to prepare us for this. But I'm focusing on the negatives. Positives, Electra.

Bombalurina and Tugger made up. He's over a lot, and there are many times I've heard laughing in the shower and had to go borrow the toms' bathroom.

Oh, yeah, the suite next to ours is the toms'. Pouncival, Tumblebrutus, Coricopat, Alonzo, Admetus, Plato, Quaxo, and Tugger. They're all very nice. And a couple are quite the flirts. I've caught Alonzo with all of Victoria, Jemima, and Etcetera. It's really very funny. For me. To watch.

I also got most of the familial relations right, too. Plato's still Etcetera's brother, Quaxo and Victoria are cousins, of course there's Bombalurina and Demeter, and Coricopat and Tantomile, Munkustrap and Tugger are also brothers, and Exotica and Cassandra are sisters. I think that's it.

So, that was pretty much all the excitement up to this point. And then that Saturday night happened.

Etcetera and I were sitting and talking about this and that, just like every night while trying to avoid our homework.

"It'd be really cute if Jemima and Coricopat dated, don't you think?" I looked up in surprise at my roommate.

"What?" I closed the lid to my laptop, this was going to be interesting.

"It'd totally be really cute if Jem and Cori dated," she repeated simply.

"Cettie...Coricopat is Tantomile's brother."

"And?"

"Well, how would you feel if Plato dated one of us?"

"Well, I would slap him upside the head because he doesn't deserve any one of you guys. But my personal issues with my brother aside, you've seen the way they look at each other! I know you have! You're the most observant queen I've ever met. I'm sure Tantomile would be happy for them!"

"Nah, Cet, I think you're crazy." I shook my head with a grin and returned to my laptop.

"Ugh, really, Lect, think about it."

I thought about something. I mean, I don't have any siblings, but I never really thought siblings thought so low of each other. He didn't deserve any of us?

"Did you really mean that?" I asked, looking back over at her.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "We should set them up!"

"No," I laughed, "not about Jem and Cori. About your brother..."

She looked down a moment. "Nah, I was only half-joking. Honestly, he hooks up with some of the sketchiest queens." She looked back over at me with a grin. "I'd like to see him with a good, clean queen next time." I returned her grin, but both of us jumped when we heard a scream.

We scrambled over to the window behind Etcetera's bed. The shadows cast by the big dorm buildings made the square hard to see. But the tom's bright ginger fur wasn't very hard to see. We saw a flash of it before it went into the underpass. Then the scream again, and I know more than anything else that that was Jemima's face that flew out for just an instant. Etcetera and I looked at each other for an instant before bolting through the door. It seemed the other queens in the suite had noticed, because all of us were running down the hall and through the door and down the stairs and through the back door and over towards the screaming. Was that Tumblebrutus and Alonzo, too? Everyone rushed the big red tom, pulling him from Jemima in an instant.

Everyone was trying to get a hit at the tom. I took the shivering Jemima in my arms and led her back in. I soon felt Demeter on her other side. "It's OK, Jem, we've got you," I assured my friend before pulling out my phone. I dialed campus police, hoping the tom didn't run off. Then again, I think all my other friends kinda had that covered. Would they all get in trouble for beating him up?

I left Jemima with Demeter and went to hide on the corner of my bed. I heard the sirens and covered my ears. But my curiosity got too much and I peeked out, listening to everyone sharing their stories with the cops. I saw them put the ginger tom in the back of one of the cars. Somehow, I didn't think they'd have a hold of him for a while.

"Jemima?" Someone was in the hallway looking for Jemima. I suppose a cop to ask her about what happened. I didn't want to talk to a cop, so I just kept quiet and tried to fall asleep.

I made sure to watch Jemima extra carefully the next few days. Whenever she was alone, I popped up in her room. I met up with her after classes for coffee or studying. You don't just get attacked like that and get over it. But she didn't really talk to me about it. That would be OK, I'm not exactly a gossip, but I didn't hear her talking about it with anyone else, either. I was worried it was all bottling up.

But after a while, she seemed to calm down a lot. I mean, she'll never be the same, a little jumpy here and there, but her stress dwindled and I even caught her flirting with Admetus a couple weeks later.

I just wish she didn't still have that dazed look in her eye so often. I don't want to sound like it was her fault or anything, dear Bast it was definitely not her fault, but I figure if she hadn't been day-dreaming so late at night in that dark square, that tom wouldn't have been able to grab her.

But, as I said, she was slowly getting over it and life went back into its rhythm. Until that Friday. That wonderful, beautiful, miserable Friday.

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><p><strong><em>Cliffhanger! I do not do these often, enjoy it XP<br>_**


	5. Mood Swings Bast, They Suck

It started like any other Friday, of course. That's how all things start. As normal. Had my morning classes, lunch with the whole crowd, etc. I walked into the athletics building and strapped on my shoes, wondering what exercises Mr. Skimble was going to put us through today. I had been feeling a little groggy that day, and was looking forward to some energizing movement to brighten my mood.

I groaned inwardly when he announced the next fifteen classes being dedicated to ballroom dancing. That meant couples dancing. I really didn't want to dance with a partner. Adding a partner in just robbed me of my bliss and freedom. I had to keep my eye on my partner and figure out what he was thinking at all times. But when I turned to my assigned partner, Quaxo, the tux offered me a warm smile. I grinned weakly back, and couldn't hold in my blush as he took my waist and pulled me in closer. I dropped my eyes to our feet to hide it. Maybe I could just pretend to be really, really bad at ballroom dancing.

"Chin up," he said softly. "Ballroom dancing is fun." He was probably just saying that so we didn't fail the lesson, but I couldn't help but look up into his dark eyes, anyway. They were smiling and genuine, and it took me a moment to realize we were already gliding and spinning with the smooth music. He took me through spin after spin, and the only thing keeping my head from spinning with the rest of my body was his eyes locked on mine. We danced through clouds and rivers, stars and dreams. I wasn't aware of a single cat in that room except him. There were no other cats in the room. Just me and him. I didn't even hear the music anymore; I was just following him on this journey he was taking me through.

Mr. Skimble tapped Quaxo's shoulder, and we broke away. I saw that everyone else had left already. Well, that wasn't embarrassing. Were we really dancing all that time? But Mr. Skimble just grinned at us, and I began to feel my legs and feet begging me to rest. I rushed into the locker room, still in disbelief.

"Wanna get some coffee?" Quaxo asked as we walked out of the building together. No. I really shouldn't. Caffeine makes my life miserable. And I hadn't touched the stuff since that first day (which had been a lucky day). I really, really shouldn't go for coffee and talk with him and get to know him and socialize and... No. I should go to my dorm. Hide in my computer. Yeah.

"Sure."

We spent a good several hours in the coffee shop. Talking and talking and talking. No one had ever gotten me to talk so much since...ever. He was funny, and sweet. His uncle was a well-known tom, and he's lived with him and Victoria since his parents died seven years ago. He loved to dance more than anything, and he still keeps his old teddy-mouse hidden in his dorm. He really likes this school, and thinks I'll really like it, too. His mother had been a dancer, and had helped him with all the moves he struggled with when he was younger. His father had been the owner of a restaurant. Quaxo used to help run the restaurant and cook the food and clean the tables.

We talked so long that we saw we were late for dinner with the whole crowd. So he took me to a lesser-known dining hall and we ate there. It was small and dark, and hardly any other cats there at all. I wondered if Exotica or Tantomile or Demeter or Bombalurina knew of this place, but my wonderings were short as I was more interested in the conversation between Quaxo and me. I didn't have any sorts of worries going through my mind. Just what he was saying and what I wanted to say. But I suppose you're tired of hearing about my date.

The sun was setting when we parted in the hallway. I was still so giddy, my fingers trembling from the excitement. I had just had a wonderful time with another cat. And not just any other cat, a tom! I grinned wide at Etcetera as I walked in. I noticed her computer was hanging off the desk, and was threatening to fall any minute.

"Someone had a fun day," she said with a grin. I nodded, but didn't really want to talk about it. I felt that if I talked about it aloud, it would ruin the whole feeling of it all. That there would be something mentioned that would prove the whole afternoon had meant nothing.

So after a few minutes my roommate gave up prodding me for information and went on chattering about her day. I nodded and half-listened as I pulled out my agenda. I should check what homework I had to do that night. My eyes rested on the history paper assignment, and my mind started racing.

"History Paper due today, 4pm." The last time I looked at the clock, it had been 5pm. I had missed it. I hadn't even started it. Hadn't even thought about it. I completely forgot.

I couldn't breathe. I felt my heart race as my stomach twisted in somer-saults.

"Lexy?" I heard Etcetera's voice, but I couldn't respond. I didn't want to respond. I screwed up. I massively screwed up. "Lect? Oh, Bast, are you OK? Hey, look at me. Electra?" No. I screwed up so bad. I completely missed the assignment. I braced myself against the desk. Iscrewedup Iscrewedup Iscrewedup.

"Guys!" Everyone's doors were always open. Etcetera was looking for someone to help. No one could help. I screwed up so bad. I missed the assignment and now I was screwed. How could I have been so stupid! I should know better than this! I'm an adult! Adults don't just up and miss assignments.

"Electra, calm down." I felt Tantomile's gentle touch on my shoulders, her soothing voice. But I didn't want to listen to it. I didn't want to calm down. I had screwed up so bad. "Let's get you to your bed. Do you want to lie down?" I felt myself being almost-dragged across the room. I still couldn't catch my breath, and my heart was beating a mile a minute. "Electra, look at me." I managed to raise my eyes to hers. "Do you want to lie down?" I shook my head. I didn't want to lie down.

"I...I screwed up... I missed... My paper... It..." I couldn't get it out. It was so frustrating, I couldn't get it out! I finally broke down and bent over crying. My face was cradled in Tantomile's lap as she rubbed my head.

"It's OK, Electra. Teachers don't care. You can make it up." I can? But, no. I was going to have to work that much harder to make it up. And I was already working as hard I could! I was never going to make it up. Iscrewedup-Iscrewedup-Iscrewedup-Iscrewedup-Iscrewedup-I—

oOoOoOo

It only lasted eight minutes. That's what Tantomile told me. Just eight minutes. But it felt like eight hours. Dr. Jennyanydots, the head of the school's health center, had made it there in five. She and Tantomile helped to calm me down after they shooed the others out of the room. Then Dr. Jennyanydots shooed Tantomile out of the room.

"How did you know what to do?" I heard my friends talking in the hall. They were trying to whisper, but I was a master at eaves-dropping.

"I have a cousin that lives with us. She gets attacks like that all the time. My brother and I are...sensitive. We're pretty good at helping her." She went on to explain about anxiety and anxiety attacks. She told them how to help me stay positive at most times, especially these next couple days. How to handle me next time I have an attack, all that sort of stuff.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. Now I wasn't the same queen they were friends with before. I was a sensitive freak that needed tender care. Not the quiet, observant queen they befriended at the beginning of the semester.

"It's for your own good, you know," Dr. Jennyanydots said as gently as she could. I guess I wasn't the only one apt at listening to whispers.

"I know," I said with a sigh. It's always been said that having friends aware of your anxiety issues were a great support system to prevent all of its symptoms.

"Any idea what triggered it?" the yellow doctor asked. I blinked and returned my mind to our conversation. She was the doctor, she had to know everything she could.

"A paper." I gestured to my agenda, fallen and askew on my desk. "I missed the due date. Today at four." I looked over at the clock. 6:30pm.

Dr. Jennyanydots nodded. "Is that all?" Depending on the severity of your anxiety, small things could really set you off, or bigger things. I guess that since she hadn't been called here before now, she assumed there was more to this attack.

"I...had coffee earlier today." I wrapped my blanket tighter around my shoulders, sounding small like I were admitting to stealing the cookies from the cookie jar, and breaking that very expensive cookie jar in the process. "I shouldn't have caffeine. It makes things worse."

"Well," she said softly, taking her notes. "Sounds like I don't need to remind you to stay away from that." I shook my head with a small grin. After a few more things, she finally left, reminding me to go talk to her or my friends whenever I was feeling down. She even gave me some exercises to use to help keep me positive. She told me she hated pills. I was incredibly grateful for that. Those pills really fucked me up in middle school.

The entire suite gathered into our room. I expect everyone was worried. At first Tantomile said they shouldn't all gather, but I told them I was going to be fine.

"Are you sure? That you're alright?" Jemima asked softly. I nodded at her.

"You were just so very happy. I can't believe..." I wasn't surprised at my roommate's concerns.

"Mood swings are good indicators," I informed them. There were a few more questions, and though I knew Tantomile knew the answers, they were probably best coming from me, anyway. We shared a big ol' group hug before everyone went off to do homework or some such. I laid down and curled up. I was exhausted.

"Lect?" I glanced over at my roommate. "We don't see you any different, you know." How did she know that was what was bothering me? Did she hear my conversation with Dr. Jennyanydots? ...Or maybe she was just a really good roommate.

"I know," I lied. Etcetera nodded and returned to her homework, and I turned over. To think I managed to ruin such a happy day for myself. And put quite a damper on all my friends' evenings. I took a breath and closed my eyes. Well, all I could do about now was sleep and start tomorrow anew. Maybe I could pluck up the courage to ask Quaxo to hang out.

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><p><strong><em>Don't worry, Dearies! It's going to get much brighter, now. Electra's working harder to stay positive and more relationship-based drama is going to occur! Remember, if YOU have any ideas, let me know!<br>_**


	6. Party Time!

_**This chapter's a bit mish-moshed. I'm running out of ideas D:.  
><strong>_

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><p>A bunch of us were in the common room, doing our homework. I was doing just a little better at staying positive; Dr. Jennanydots' exercises were really helping. I was also doing better at hanging out with other cats. Quaxo and I often went out for coffee after dance (the shop has a couple cold drinks without caffeine), and Tumblebrutus and I often got together to study for history. He was really having trouble with it.<p>

Oh, and, yes, I made up that stupid paper.

"Who you teeexting?" I looked up from my project to see Etcetera leaning over Jemima's shoulder. Jemima gave a little grin but closed her phone.

"None of your business," she said simply before picking up her pencil again.

"It's Coricopat, isn't it? I know it is. You two are dating now, aren't you?" Usually we just brush off Cettie and her little gossip-crazed chatterings. But Jemima's face grew red and she was obviously pretending to write something.

"Maybe," she admitted. Etcetera gasped.

"Oh, I knew it! Jem, that's great! I knew you two would get along! Ooh, this is so great! We need to celebrate!"

"We need to shut you up," Victoria said, eying Etcetera with a dirty look. "Some of us are trying to focus on homework." Etcetera returned her look with a stupid face, but settled and returned to her work. Victoria would get like that sometimes. She'll get over it soon.

I grinned inwardly to myself. Seems I had been wrong. I wondered how Tantomile was taking this. I mean, Jemima and Tantomile were friends. Isn't it awkward that your brother is dating your friend? Hm, I know nothing about that stuff. I could be wrong.

Jemima and Coricopat weren't the only ones making news in the suite. I was, again, trying do to some homework in the dorm when Etcetera burst through the door and ran in.

"Lexy, you'll never guess what I just found out!" she exclaimed. I looked over at her. Oh, dear. This was going to be fun.

"What?" I asked. She came to sit on my bed and leaned in close to my ear.

"Tantomile and Exotica are queenfriends," she whispered.

"What?" Like, they had tomfriends? This wasn't that much of a surprise. They were both pretty queens and very confident in themselves.

"Yup! They're queenfriends with each other! Isn't that just the sweetest thing you've ever heard?"

Wait, "what?" OK, now that was news. Etcetera laughed at me.

"I've never heard of anything so sweeter! That's why they're roommates, because they're in love!"

"Wait, Cet, how did you find out about this?"

"Exotica told me! She and I were in lecture and it was really boring so we were texting in the back." She pulled out her phone to re-read the exchange of text messages. "I was telling her she should totally come to the party with me tonight and she was like 'Well, my queenfriend hasn't been feeling well lately, so I just wanna watch movies with her tonight,' and I was like 'queenfriend? I didn't know you had a queenfriend,' and she's like 'yeah, Tantomile. Haven't you figured that out yet?' and I'm all 'NO WAY!'," and so she continued rehearsing the rest of the conversation.

I suppose that was sweet. But I couldn't help but have a twinge of worry. Was it really a good idea to dorm with your queenfriend? Like, what if you two get in a big fight? A dorm is really close-quarters to live with someone and you two are usually even closer than roommates, so you'd probably want a bit more space if you got in a real big fight.

I also wondered how I didn't notice it before. All couples liked just a little bit of PDA, didn't they? Were there times that I wasn't watching where they held paws or gave a quick little kiss? I made a mental note to watch them more carefully, now.

A couple days later, Etcetera was getting on my case about going out more. She prodded and prodded and prodded until I finally said I'd go to the party with her that night. She squealed and commenced getting me ready for a night of dancing and socializing and potentially drinking and getting close with the toms.

I was pretty nervous when I walked into the house (it was Munkustrap's house he shared with Cassandra, Mungojerrie, and Rumpleteazer. But Munkustrap was at the dorm with Demeter that night). But I was a bit more excited. I got to meet more cats and practice being OK with situations like this. Etcetera promised to stick with me the whole time, but it didn't take her long to forget all about me and start grinding on the dance floor with Tugger (Tugger was massively lucky that Bombalurina was working tonight). I tried not to blame her, though. She deserved to have some fun. She's been stressed enough.

I found the drinks table and choked when I noticed the punch was spiked with alcohol. But I had nothing better to do so I sipped it as slowly as I could. My eyes were busy watching all the bodies moving around and dancing and grinding and making out. I jumped when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Sorry," Quaxo said as I turned. "Didn't mean to scare you." I grinned at him.

"It's alright. Enjoying the party?" He hadn't seemed like the partying type to me. But I was glad to have some familiar, non-intoxicated company.

"Not really," he said nervously. "Tugger made me come. I'm thinking of ditching this place, it's getting pretty crazy. Wanna come with me?" Yes. Oh, very much, yes. I really wanted to go. And the plus would be hanging with Quaxo.

"I...think I'll try sticking it out a little longer," I said. I made it here, might as well stick it through to the end. Quaxo shrugged.

"Alright. Good luck. If you get bored, I'll be in my room." I nodded at him and said goodbye as he left. I chatted with a few other cats and drank more punch until my head started to spin a little. That was when Tumblebrutus found me.

He wasn't exactly sober, either. We talked a bit until we decided it was too crowded and loud to really understand each other. He took me upstairs to a dark bedroom and we curled up together in a corner. But we didn't really talk. Our lips came up with another way of communication. We pressed against each other and had an awful lot of fun. It was like we couldn't get close enough. I felt his paws exploring my body and I did the same to his. I don't know how long we were in that room, but it felt like a wonderful eternity ended too soon.

...Woah, hey, now, reader. We didn't go that far, trust me. I promise you the only part of our bodies that had the most contact was our lips. But it sure was fun. I was still grinning from ear to ear when we stumbled into the dorm (that was the catch. I have a hard time sleeping anywhere that isn't my bed, so I made Etcetera promised we would make it back to the dorm by the end of the night). The poor queens, everyone else that had gone to the party were too drunk to pester me about it. But, as you know, that was good for me. I made sure to down, like, four bottles of water before collapsing on to my bed and falling asleep.


	7. Studying Can Be More Fun Than You Think

The next morning, I woke a little groggy but otherwise fine. I looked over to see Etcetera and Victoria tangled up on the other bed. Hey, at least they made it back. I tip-toed over to the room next-door to see if Jemima was in her bed. Well...she was in Victoria's bed, but at least she was in a bed. I returned to my room and gathered my things as quietly as catly possible. I figured that since everyone was going to wake up with a killer hangover, this would be a good chance to have a quiet day to catch up on work. I padded out of the room and made my way to the library.

I settled myself in my little desk in the back of the library, hidden behind all the shelves of books upon books, snuggled into the corner of the building. It was on the third floor, so there was this lovely view of the two nearby academic buildings out the window there. I loved it because this was the only study area on this floor, so it was quiet and secluded so I could force myself to focus on my work.

I looked up from my paper when I heard pawsteps approaching. Eh, too bad for them; I already took this spot. My eyebrows shot up when I saw Quaxo's head peek over a bookshelf.

"Oh, sorry," he said with a grin. "Looks like you've already claimed this spot." He turned to leave. No, don't leave! Stay! I wanna talk with you!

"I can make room," I offered, but I was so quiet I didn't think he heard. I was surprised when he turned back around.

"You sure?" he asked. I expect he didn't want to distract me too much. We are in college, you know. Gotta get our work done.

"Yeah," I said a little more certainly. I gathered my notes that I had sprawled over the desk, clearing a space for him.

"Thanks," he said with a grin and sitting down. I tried not to make it obvious how I was watching every movement he made as he pulled out his laptop and turned it on and pulled out his notes and put in his password and... "Did you have fun last night?" Of course he was deathly curious. I would be curious, too.

I blushed and trained my eyes on my computer screen. "Y-yeah," I said weakly. He nodded and fell quiet, starting his paper.

A few minutes passed. Felt like an hour or so, but I had just managed to re-focus myself to my paper when he spoke again.

"Uhm...Tumblebrutus made it back to the dorm last night..." he started. I looked over at him. Oh, no, he didn't tell him, did he? "He was pretty drunk. He said he...and you...uhm..." He gave a nervous laugh. I couldn't help but place my elbows on the desk and rub my eyes. He had told him. "I was just really curious if it was true?" Now, I couldn't figure out for the life of me why Quaxo really wanted to know this. But he was a good friend, I didn't see why I should lie to him.

"We only kissed." OK, it was just a little lie. We didn't do much more than kissing.

"Oh..." He seemed a little bothered by something. But he went back to work on his computer. I was overwhelmed with a need to cheer him up somehow.

"We were both pretty drunk," I tried. "I don't know what I was thinking..." I had been thinking that it was fun. Lots and lots of fun.

"You were drunk?" He looked over at me in almost-disbelief. I know I'm definitely not a queen that would go around getting drunk. I chuckled at him and nodded. We went on talking about parties and alcohol and some such until we both managed to quiet down and focus on homework.

It was around one when I finished the one paper and my stomach began to whine. I glanced over at Quaxo, debating asking him if he wanted to go eat something.

"There's a stall downstairs that sells cream and wraps," he said. Was he some sort of mind-reader? "I could go down and get us something to eat so we don't lost this spot." He looked over at me, his dark eyes questioning and a little unsure. I thought he must be hungry, too.

"That's a genius idea," I said. I hadn't even thought about that stall. He grinned and I told him what I would like. It didn't take long for him to come back up. We put all our school stuff away as we ate.

"So, looking forward to winter break, yet?" He asked.

"No," I said honestly, staring at my wrap. He narrowed his eyes slightly, he had noted the snort in my voice.

"Why not?"

"I just...don't like it at home."

"I'm sorry. May I ask why not?"

"Ehm...It's...not a very pleasant environment, really..." I hadn't even told Etcetera that much. Was I trusting this tom more than I trusted my own roommate? Maybe I was just too groggy to stop myself. Or maybe even still a little drunk. How long did that stuff stay in your system?

"Would you...like to come spend break with me?" I looked up at him in disbelief. What? "I'm sure Victoria would love to have you. You're friends, right? And my uncle wouldn't mind."

This was something I had to think really hard about. Spend a lot of time on thinking about. I mean, winter break was a whole month! And should I even take this too-generous offer to be a month-long guest in their house? Tell Quaxo I have to think about it.

"Thank you, that'd be great." And so it was set in stone. I had plans for my winter break that did not involve home. Now, I was, indeed, looking forward to it.

Quaxo and I stayed in that study corner until the sun began to set. I was getting hungry again, and the thought of the frozen dinner I had in the dorm was sounding absolutely lovely. Quaxo wanted to finish his assignment before he went back, so I said goodbye to him and gathered my things.

The suite was abnormally quiet as I walked in, and that made it easy to hear the strangled, short breaths coming from Victoria and Jemima's room. I didn't even bother to knock, I hadn't had time to figure out if they were stress breaths or heart-attack breaths or strangling breaths. I opened the door to see Jemima staring a sheet of paper in her paws. Her eyes were wide and she was having trouble breathing. I rushed to her side. An attack?

"Jem, what's wrong, are you OK?"

"Th-th...the tom..." she struggled to get the words out, but she was shaking the paper. I turned my gaze to read it. My eyes widened and I took the letter from her and out of her sight before wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

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><p><strong><em>Muahaha! I give you another cliffhanger! :)<em>**

**_PS: Raptor, thanks, I love your ideas! Keep your eye out for them!  
><em>**


	8. The Nighttime Encounter, Revisited

_Dear Jemima,_

_ I wanted to apologize for scaring you a couple weeks ago. I was just trying to get you to listen to me! But I guess I'll tell you in this letter. You know how your mom probably told you about how your dad died or left her or something before you were born? Well, that's not true. I've been fighting your mom for years to be able to see you for years and years. Now that you were in college, I thought I might be able to meet you. But I knew you wouldn't just up and listen to some random stranger telling you he was your father. So I thought I should try to get a hold of you another way..._

The letter went on and on about how much he's always wanted to see her and how much of a bitch her mom was and yadda yadda yadda. Imagine getting a letter like this totally randomly. Some guy that had attacked you sent you a letter trying to tell you that everything you knew to be true your entire life was a lie.

I can tell you, Jemima didn't buy it. I wouldn't, either. And this tom, he was really sketchy. Even just judging by the letter. I mean, really? I held Jemima close and rubbed her back. She said she found the letter in her mail box, no less. Did this mean she was going to move? She would have to, to be safe...

"He'll just find me again," she whispered.

"Not when we tell campus police about it," I told her softly. "They'll know how to handle this."

"No, they won't." She took a sniff and I handed her a tissue. "My mom told me that my father was a real dirt-bag. Always getting in trouble with the law and such. But that's really all she ever said."

"Jem, it'll be OK. You've got a whole suite of queens right here to protect you. Not to mention the toms in the next one over."

"...They did show up that night, didn't they?"

"I'm sure a couple did, at least."

"Lect...what does he want with me?"

"I dunno." I shrugged and rubbed her arm. I could think of a couple reasons this strange tom would be trying to get a hold of her, but none of them were worth mentioning and stressing her more. Besides, she probably thought of them herself, too. "C'mon, Jem. I'll walk with you to the police station." I really didn't want. I avoided cops at all costs. Being in that office would make me tremble like car engine. But Jemima was more important than that.

We took the letter to the police, and the told her over and over again that they should move her. But she really didn't want to move. She had too many good friends nearby, she didn't want to start over again in a new building. After a while, she finally won that argument and I took her for coffee. She got out of me the details of the night before, and about the day of studying with Quaxo. She giggled with me and told me about her experience at the party before we decided to make our way back to the dorm. She should tell her tomfriend what happened, if not everyone else.

When I walked back into my room (finally), I noticed Etcetera getting ready for another party.

"Hey, Lect," she greeted me with a wide grin.

"Hey." I watched her a bit as I put my things away. She had just gotten drunk off her ass the night before. And the night before that. Sure, she didn't have class until noon tomorrow, but... "Uhm, Cet?"

"Hmm?"

"You're...going to another party?"

"Yup. This frat tom, George, invited me. It's going to be wild." She giggled as she fluffed up her fur.

"Uhm...did you do that Chem paper?"

"Oh, I'll get to it in the morning."

"Really?" Etcetera's eyes narrowed and she looked over at me.

"Is something bugging you, Roommie?" she asked.

"Well... I just...worry."

"About what?"

"You..." Etcetera sighed and grinned at me.

"I'm doing fine," she said, giving me a hug. She giggled. "I'm just having a little fun. Enjoying the college experience!" I couldn't think of anything more to say, so I just shrugged and nodded. She bounced her way out of the dorm. You know, she'd been so stressed over work lately. Her desk was mess of papers and books and pens. Midterms were literally this week and she was off partying night after night. I hate to sound like her mother or something, but I was really worried. Maybe the other queens will agree with me...


	9. Learning Experience

The next time Etcetera went out, I gathered our suite-mates into the common room. I grabbed a couple toms she was friends with, too. Pouncival, Plato, Admetus, Coricopat, and Quaxo were the ones still around. I felt horrible doing this, like I was doing something behind her back or something. But I needed help to help my roommate.

"Uhm, so... Have you guys noticed anything about Etcetera?" I asked everyone. I was nervous in this big group, but it was worth less than Etcetera.

"She parties constantly," Victoria snorted.

"I think Electra's worried about it," Jemima said calmly.

"Partying isn't that dangerous."

"But when midterms are this week?" I asked, looking at Victoria. She really seems so selfish sometimes.

"Lect, I know you're worried," Demeter reasoned, "but this is Etcetera's life, not yours."

"But...I mean, I just don't want her to crash and burn when she doesn't need to," I whispered.

"It's her life, hun. She has to learn for herself. Your job is to be there to help her pick up the pieces."

I looked about at everyone before I dropped my eyes to the ground. "I overreacted, didn't I?" A few cats chuckled and Pouncival rubbed my arm.

"Nah, it's sweet you care about your roommate," Admetus said.

"Yeah, I'm glad to see my sister's got someone like you to care about her so much," Plato added. Everyone else offered quiet comfortings before walking out of the room and returning to their own lives. I didn't notice Quaxo had stayed behind, because I was too busy sitting in the corner thinking through my embarrassment.

"Hey." I jumped when I heard his voice. "Sorry."

I offered him a weak grin. "All our conversations begin with your sorries, lately," I pointed out with a quiet chuckle.

"They do, don't they?" he said thoughtfully before sitting beside me on the couch. "Then forget it, I'm not sorry I made you jump. It was my complete intention." We shared another chuckle.

"You're really nice, you know that?" I said softly, not daring to look at him.

"Thank you," he said genuinely. "I try to be. You know... You're a really great friend."

"I'm just a worry-wort."

"I heard about Jemima and that letter." I looked over at him in shock. We hadn't told anyone yet except Coricopat. "I couldn't help but overhear Jemima telling Coricopat in the room next to mine. My bed is right against that wall, as is his."

"Oh..."

"She told him how you took care of her all night. And how you were the first one to help her back to the dorm that night. You're a really good friend."

I couldn't help but grin a little. He had certainly succeeded in cheering me up. "Thank you," I said, looking over at him. We chatted a little more before I remembered a midterm project I had to work on and left. Etcetera didn't show up until 4am the next morning, and I found her still in bed when I came back from Dance. With a sigh and shake of my head, I stopped myself from saying anything when she sat up and looked at me through slitted eyes. She then glanced over to the clock.

"MY MIDTERM!" she exclaimed. "I missed it!" She started rushing about the room, trying to get her laptop to boot up so she could e-mail her teacher and gathering her notes together. I could hear her mumbling to herself about this and that and being stupid and all that such. I didn't really know what to do. Even during anxiety attacks, I was always the one on the inside, not out. What do you do when you're on the outside looking in?

So I kinda just kept quiet and hid behind my laptop screen, wishing I could go invisible. I could try to sneak out into the common room. But it'd be kinda hard, since we are here in the same room and I have to walk by her to get to the door. It would hurt her feelings if she saw me leaving.

She looked over at me when she finished the e-mail. She looked like she wanted to say something. I expect she wanted to complain about missing her midterm. I wouldn't blame her, complaining helps you cope sometimes. But what came out of her mouth had nothing to do with her midterm, or classes, or partying. At least, at first I didn't think so.

"Y'know, my brother said that he almost failed out of his first semester here."

"He did?" I asked, trying to sound more interested that I really was.

"Yeah."

"Mm."

"He said he...was having a hard time keeping things under control." I looked back up at her. "My family struggles with alcoholism. Lect, I'm not an alcoholic, am I?"

I didn't know what to say. I didn't really know what an alcoholic was by definition. Though, the more Etcetera got stressed, the more she drank. I knew that was unhealthy.

"I don't think so," I told her. Anything to calm her nerves. "I think that...you should lay off it a little, though. At least for the week?"

"Maybe you're right..."


	10. My Friends Are the Best

Etcetera did as I suggested. For a couple of weeks. I reminded her a few times about a paper or test, so she sometimes decided against partying, but she was still pretty crazy and disorganized. But I tried to remember what Demeter told me. That she had to figure this out for herself.

No word from Jemima's supposed "father" since that night. But Jemima and I finally told all our friends so they were aware for her.

With things going as smoothly as could be expected, I decided to focus some attention on myself for a while. November break was coming up—a whole week off for feasting on birds and such for some reason that was forgotten throughout the years and years of history. I wasn't sure if I could stay in the dorm all week, if I'd get food, all of that important stuff. I had some money saved to buy food off campus, but...

Oh, Reader, going home was not an option. I wasn't going to let all the good I'd been doing for myself so far be ruined by a single week over there. So I went to the upperclasstoms of the suite. Currently, Demeter and Bombalurina (I thought Tantomile and Exotica were busy in their dorm; their door was shut and I was hearing sounds that I was sure I didn't want to walk in on).

"Stay over Feast Day?" Bombalurina asked. "Why?"

"I just don't want to go home," I said, fiddling with Demeter's pen in my fingers as I sat at her desk.

"I'm pretty sure you can," Demeter said. "You just have to talk to the Resident Director."

"That Carbucketty tom?"

"Yup," Bombalurina assured me. "He'll explain things to you."

"Electra, are you sure you don't want to talk to us about it?"

"I'm sure," I told her. Dear Bast I didn't want to talk to a single soul about it. I just wanted to stay here.

"Well, why don't you go home with someone else," Bombalurina suggested. "We wouldn't mind having you."

"Or I'm staying at Munkustrap's house," the older sister offered. "Cassandra's going home, but Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are staying. All four of us were going to have our own Feast Day. You could stay with us, in Cassandra's room. She wouldn't mind." I brightened up at this idea. True, I really didn't know Munkustrap, Mungojerrie, or Rumpleteazer very well, but as my positive-attitude exercises instructed, I told myself this would be a great opportunity to get to know them better.

"Demeter, that sounds great," I said. "Thank you so much...I think I'll do that." I offered her a wide grin, and the sisters grinned back at me. I really owed so much to all of my friends.

We chatted a little more before I went back to my room. When you haven't spent much of your life with things like computers, the opportunity to do so is like a shiny gem you just want to keep close to you at all times. Especially when trying to avoid physical cat contact. I jumped a couple hours later when my phone went off.

Tumblebrutus was inviting me to Benny's? That restaurant was off campus. They didn't accept money from the school's meal plan. I looked over at where I hid my money. I really couldn't afford it. Especially if I was going to help with the Feast Day dinner.

But...was this like a date? Well, if it was a date (insert excited, girly giggle here), he would pay, right? I could just bring some money as backup, but...

I texted him back and went to make myself pretty. I only had half an hour to meet him at his car. I couldn't help myself, I was starting to get really excited. Me, going on an actual date. I'd never been on a date. Sure, everyone was saying that my and Quaxo's hanging out were dates, but I knew they weren't. They were just friends hanging out. This had to be a date. Tumblebrutus taking me out to a restaurant (given, a dingy little diner). I couldn't help but be all shy and a little giggly when I climbed into his car. Luckily, he passed it off as me just being in a really good mood.

Imagine my surprise when I walked in and we were seated at a table full with, like, three-quarters of the crowd we usually eat with at the dining hall.

But after I forced myself to get over it and finished telling myself how stupid I was to overreact like I did, I managed to have a bit of a good time. Tumblebrutus and I talked a bit, and everyone's conversations were hilarious. They were so random, it was like flicking TV channels and all the things cats were saying on the different channels were blurring into one full sentence or paragraph; resulting in one of the funniest things you've ever heard.

After dinner, I set to work finishing my homework and simultaneously packing. Break started tomorrow, after Dance. What do you pack for a whole week at a friend's house? I hadn't been to or had a sleepover since... Oh, Bast, not since elementary school. I decided on just a few essentials. Personal hygiene stuff, laptop and materials, notes for homework, my money. Should I bring my own bedsheets? Or am I expected to use Cassandra's? I packed my spare bedsheets, just in case. It didn't really take as long as expected, so I decided to just head to bed early.

I walked into the house the next day after Dance. I was still on a bit of a high because Quaxo had taught me a few moves for the tango and had wished me a good Feast Day. I was greeted to a pretty quiet house, which surprised me. Whenever I saw the house, it was pretty wild. Then again, the only time I was ever at the house was during a party (I'd gone to a few since that first one. But only ever at this house. And, yes, Tumblebrutus and I made out a little more. There was one time with Admetus, too...). But Rumpleteazer was there and she smiled at me. She showed me where Cassandra's room was and told me how I was welcome to use pretty much everything in the house. She seemed really calm but it was strained, I could tell. I suspected Demeter told them I was coming, and told them how nervous my nature was. At first I felt a little sore that she had been talking behind my back and said such things; but then reminded myself that she was just trying to help. Demeter was a good friend, and a very sweet queen. Plus, from what I've seen of Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie, they were a couple of cats I would definitely avoid, just from the kinda sketchy aura I got from them.

But when everyone showed up later that evening, I noticed how they all meshed and worked together, even with vast differences. It was interesting, and I could not deny that everyone was very nice in their own way. I decided this week was going to be a fun one; even if it wouldn't be as quiet as I had been hoping.

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><p><strong><em>My writing's starting to slow down D:. So just so you all know, updates will get slower :(. And my bf will be around this weekend. NO writing during that time XP.<br>_**


	11. At the House

I spent my first night at the house a nervous wreck. I was waiting for everything to come falling apart. That when I woke up, I would be in my bedroom at home, those yellow walls staring and laughing at me because I even thought I could pull this off. After about three hours of tossing and turning, I sat up. Maybe some tea or something would calm my nerves. Even a fishbar, maybe. (Yes, fish cooked into bars. The most amazing thing ever invented by cat-kind). I remember Demeter telling me she had some in the pantry. I could pay her back...a quarter. I couldn't help but gasp when I walked in on Mungojerrie eating a bowl of cereal.

"Can't sleep?" he asked with that cheeky grin of his. I let out a breath and nodded. I turned on the light in the pantry and grabbed one of Demeter's fishbars.

"You, neither?" I asked, putting the kettle on. I prayed it wasn't one of those stupid ones with the high-pitched squeal when it was boiling.

"Nah. Sometoimes Oi 'ave trouble wif i'," he said. My ears shook a little as they got used to understanding his cockney accent.

"A lot on your mind?" I turned and leaned against the counter to face him.

"No' really. Jus' excited, Oi guess."

"Excited?"

"Well, yeah. We're on a break! A'course Oi'm excited!" He offered me another one of those cheeky grins of his, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"I suppose that is something to be excited about."

"Somethin' on yer moind?" His question surprised me, but I caught myself before saying anything. I looked down at the ground.

"Nah," I said. "Just...overtired, maybe. I didn't get much sleep last night." It was sweet that he had obviously offered to talk about it, though.

I think he saw through the lie, because he was quiet a minute and I could feel his eyes on me. But he finally shrugged and returned to his cereal. I took a silent breath and turned to the boiling water. I prepared my tea and sat across from him, nibbling on my bar.

"Wot's yer major?" he asked casually.

"English. Yours?"

"Business. Still no' too sure wot Oi'm gonna do wif it, though," he sid with a chuckle. I grinned at him. I do feel bad for cats who still don't know what they're going to do with their lives. We're grown-ups, now. We really need to start thinking seriously about these things before it's too late.

"What kinds of things do you like?" Maybe I could help him come up with some ideas.

He grinned sheepishly and looked down. "Eh...illegal thing, let's go wif tha'," he said.

I blinked. Maybe this was a conversation I didn't want to take part in. So I changed the subject to our plans for Feast Day and finished off my tea. Luckily, I became distracted enough to return to bed and finally fall asleep.

But things are never that easy for me. I woke up with a start at 5am. I was hot and trying to catch my breath. I could barely remember anything about the dream. Except his laughing face. The ass hole laughing at me.

I shook my head and looked around. I was still at the house, as far from home as I'd ever been. I told myself I was being silly. After a few minutes, I knew I was not going to get back to sleep. I went over to the desk to work on some homework for a couple hours. I heard someone moving around, so I got out of the room and went into the kitchen. Why not make breakfast for everyone? I'm up already. I often had to cook meals at home, so I knew exactly what I was doing as I moved about the kitchen, humming a little bit of my current favorite song. I didn't notice Munkustrap sitting at the island until I turned around with a gasp.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I thought you knew I was here."

"I-it's alright," I said, turning back to the stove to hide my red face. Think about it, he was sitting there for who-knows-how-long watching me practically dance about the kitchen and humming. Wouldn't you be embarrassed, too?

"You're making breakfast?" he asked. He sounded groggy, so I dismissed his Captain Obvious move because he probably wasn't even thinking straight yet.

"Mhmm."

"For everyone?" For a tom that was all groggy, he was pretty observant.

"Mhmm," I repeated.

"That's awful nice of you."

"I-it's awful nice of you guys to let me stay here this week." Really, making breakfast (with their own food that they bought) was less than the least I could do.

"Oh, that's not a problem at all," he said with a shrug. "We had an empty room. We even have a couple couches if needed."

I think my friends needed a small lesson in how much their kindness really means to cats like me. I turned back to Munkustrap and looked him straight in the eye.

"To you, it's just a bed or a couch. To me, it's a roof over my head and so much more. I really appreciate everything you guys are doing for me." He looked at me wide-eyed a moment before he nodded. I think he got it.

"You're welcome, Electra." Satisfied, I returned to my work. Everyone else trickled down slowly, Mungojerrie being the last one. He was just in time, too, because I was just starting hand everyone their plates when he stumbled into the room.

"Wow...mornin' guys," Mungojerrie said, taking everything in through droopy eyes. I grinned at him and held his plate out for him to grab. He stared at it a moment before taking it with a grin and sitting down. "Wow, thanks, 'Lectra," he said. I nodded at him and sat down with everyone else.

"Wow, this is great, Lect," Rumpleteazer said.

"Yeah, I didn't know you could cook so well," Demeter agreed. "Thank you." Everyone else murmured their thanks and I chuckled inwardly.

"I like to cook," I said. "And I was up anyway."

"Can't sleep a' noight, can't sleep in the mornin'?" Mungojerrie commented with a grin. I looked over at him and felt the urge to make a stupid face. But I decided against it and settled on a grin.

"Something like that, Jerrie," I told him. Everyone continued with light chatter and Munkustrap helped me with the clean-up after everyone went to work. Seeing all of them make their ways to their part-time jobs made me wonder if I could possibly pull off applying for one, now. I could have more money to do things with my friends, and maybe even to sustain myself without their help. I wonder if he could ever find out about it?

"Something on your mind?" Munkustrap asked.

"Just wondering if I could handle a job with all my schoolwork," I half-lied. I didn't really care if I could juggle school and work; I would have to if I made that choice. That's it.

He grinned as he rinsed a plate. "You're a freshman, right? I wouldn't really suggest it for a freshman. You're still getting used to school and all its homework and such. But that's just my opinion."

"Thanks for your opinion," I said sincerely, closing the dishwasher. He nodded and went to prepare to go to work, himself. Well, now I had the house to myself for a while. What to do...


	12. Feast Day Frivolities

The day of actual Feast Day came a lot quicker than expected. I was genuinely shocked on Tuesday when Munkustrap walked in with the 20lb goose. He said it was a miracle he found it, and I certainly agree. What are the chances of getting a 20lb goose the day before Feast Day? Pretty much zilch. But he had found one, and we stored it away before everyone else came trickling in with the rest of tomorrow's dinner. We were all gathered in the kitchen when the realization finally dawned on us.

"So, uh, 'oo knows 'ow ta cook a goose?" Mungojerrie asked. Everyone's eyes grew wide and we looked around at each other. After a few minutes of silence, I decided to volunteer what little I knew.

"I know how to cook a few things," I said quietly. "We can look up a recipe online." So, that's what we did. We each looked up a recipe and decided on which one sounded tastiest. I studied this recipe for the rest of the night, and woke early to start preparing the stupid bird.

Demeter was the first to wake after me, and she came down and helped prepare the pies and such (thank Bast for double ovens). Rumpleteazer also came down to help. We all looked over at each other as we heard the TV turn on in the living room. Looking around the corner, we saw Mungojerrie sitting in front of the TV, watching the parade. We shared another look, and I saw a wicked plan form in Rumpleteazer's eye. I watched as Demeter prepared a whole bowl of the juice the goose was cooking in and gave it to Rumpleteazer (thank Bast they let it cool, first). The orange queen held it firmly as she silently walked up behind Mungojerrie. Just as a balloon of Garfield was passing by the screen, she dumped the entire bowl over Mungojerrie's head. I bit my lip to stop myself from bursting out laughing. Neither Demeter nor Rumpleteazer showed such restraint. They laughed and laughed as he at first began to curse, then gave in and joined in the laughter. He rolled his eyes and promised to come in and help after he had cleaned up.

Soon enough, the entire house was like a beehive preparing this feast. Cats were everywhere, grabbing a laptop because I forgot part of the recipe, fetching a pie from the oven, checking on the goose, answering phones and exchanging Feast Day niceties. I had to admit, I was getting pretty excited. This was going to be a great Feast Day dinner.

Then, of course, it all fell apart. We were all resting in the living room after the table had been set when I smelled smoke. Just after I stood up to inspect it, the fire alarm went off. Everyone was in action again, running to the kitchen. Munkustrap was the fastest (and bravest) to grab the handle of the oven first and pull it open. The damn goose was on fire! I ran out and grabbed the fire extinguisher as everyone else was busy freaking out. I'd never actually used one, but urgency makes you a fast learner. I put out the fire with a cloud of white, snowy carbon dioxide. When I figured out how to shut the stupid thing off, I stood and looking around at everyone, trying to catch my breath.

I had screwed it up. I had ruined it. I didn't listen to the recipe right and set the oven too high or something. Now our Feast Day was ruined. I looked down as I tried to keep my breathing under control.

"'Oo's up fer Chinese?" The lightness in Mungojerrie's voice—as if everything we had worked all day for wasn't just torn to pieces—helped me calm down. A lot. After a moment, I even joined in in everyone's chuckles and we all set to work cleaning up and putting the non-ruined food away for later.

Turned out we weren't the only ones with a screwed-up Feast Day, either. The Chinese restaurant was packed, and this was just a take-out place. We poured our fancy, foreign-styled suppers on our pretty plates and laughed about how our Feast Day had gone completely against what we had planned.

The rest of the week was nice a calm. The day after Feast Day, "Brown Thursday," all five of us remained hidden in the house. Not one of us was crazy enough to brave the outside world full of insane cats and their trampling paws and thrusting shopping carts racing through the stores trying to find the best deals for their stupid presents for their stupid kits or relatives or whatever. Nice and safe in the semi-sane house, I finished my projects and papers and prepared myself for at least a week of Feast Day and Brown Thursday stories. I expect Demeter will happily fill everyone in on our experience, so I was happy to think that I would be doing much more listening than story-telling.

When Sunday came and the dorm buildings opened again, I found I was kinda sad to say good-bye to everyone. I mean, yeah, we were gonna see each other, anyway. We do all go to the same school. But I found that I really liked staying in this house with its fun inhabitants.

"We're gonna miss your cooking," Rumpleteazer joked.

"Just give me a call, I can come over and whip something up for you guys," I assured them before leaving with Demeter. Of course, I didn't really expect them to ever call me for that, but Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie were certainly an unpredictable pair of cats. Demeter and I giggled and chatted as we walked back to the dorm. We didn't expect anyone to be there, yet, but I heard Jemima's crying in her room when we walked through the door. We looked at each other before rushing to her room. Was she alright? What was wrong?

* * *

><p><strong><em>Slight cliffhanger :). I'm quite proud of myself XP.<br>_**


	13. Enough Smoke and Mirrors

We spent the rest of the day with Jemima. Before the others arrived, it was decided that I had the most money on my meal plan account (I don't eat too much), so I went and got all three of us lunch. Later, everyone began trickling in, and soon the entire suite was crowded into the room. Bombalurina even brought in some vodka and mixers and we shut the door.

"He called on Feast Day," she told us. "Feast Day! Like really. He had to up and ruin everyone's Feast Day. I don't even know how he got my cell phone number!" This tom was getting sketchier by the minute. There had to be other, less-creepy ways to get a hold of your supposed daughter. She said the police are looking into it, but even I knew that that meant nothing. "He said he just wanted to say 'hello' and wish me a Happy Feast Day." She burst into tears again. To feel like some tom was there, never knowing when he was going to show up, but was watching you, getting a hold of all your information, not even knowing who the Hell he is. I officially decided I was going to do some creeping of my own.

I snuck a look at Jemima's phone and memorized the phone number he called from (it was the only one that was a phone number rather than a name in her history). First step, Bloogle the phone number. Would probably amount to nothing, but it was a first step.

It was kinda scary how much I did find from that phone number. I got a whole address and everything after just a few minutes. But it was under the name of Paisley, and I would prefer to think that that was a queen's name. He might have stolen this Paisley queen's phone, or used some sort of fancy thinger that changed his phone number. Paisley could be a queenfriend. But if he wanted to get close to his daughter, why wouldn't he just use his own phone? What was with all this smoke and mirrors?

Etcetera came in a little while later, and I had to put my creeping on hold in case she happened to look over at what I was doing. It was probably the stupidest thing I've ever done. I could get myself in a load of trouble. I'm sure the other queens would not approve.

"Bast, I can't believe that," Etcetera sighed as she sat on her bed. I agreed with her, and prepared myself to go to bed. It didn't take long for my roommate to cheer up enough to tell me about her Feast Day. Poor queen, her stories lasted so long that I fell asleep to the sound of her voice. She was totally conked out when I woke in the morning. I grinned slightly at her and prepared for my day, bringing my laptop with me so I could do more creeping between English and Dance.

Despite three straight hours of searching, I found almost nothing more. I needed to figure out another way to find this stuff. How did he find her information? He couldn't be a cop and have access to that stuff, Jemima said he was always in trouble with the police. Hey! Maybe Pawlibre. I knew Jemima had a lot of her information on that site, including her phone number and mailing address! She said only her friends can see her page, but I heard Pawlibre was pretty easy to hack. But...I didn't even know this guy's name. The only thing I knew what that he was a creeper and had red fur.

By the end of the week, I shut my laptop with a huff. I was definitely not capable of doing this on my own. I was just an untrained, college queen trying to help out my friend. I had to call in reinforcements.

When everyone was in the common room chatting and such, I left like I was going to the bathroom and shut the door to my room. I pulled out my phone and skimmed through my contacts, not very proud of myself to resorting to this. I really hoped this wasn't going to get my family in trouble or anything, but if I kept the conversation away from myself, it might bring out more positives than negatives. With a sigh, I found his name and hit SEND.

Rrring.

Rrring.

Rrr—"Hello?"

"Hey, Uncle James."

"Electra, is that you?"

"Yeah." I rubbed my toe against the floor. "Listen, I need a huge favor."

"Well, how have you been? I haven't even heard from you in years! How are things with your mom and step-dad?"

"Th-they're fine," I lied. "But, listen, I—" It took about five more minutes and fifteen more lies until he finally let me tell him why I called. Don't get me wrong, I was really glad to be talking to my uncle. He's a very sweet tom and such, but I'm scared that if I get close to anyone that's close to my mom, things could get a big wild. Anyways, he had a family of his own. I didn't want to bother him with the struggles of my life.

A little research for Jemima's sake, though, that shouldn't be much trouble for him at all. He was a detective, after all. It was his daily occupation to creep on cats. Imagine my relief when he said 'yes.'

"Thank you so much, Uncle James," I breathed.

"Of course, Dear. Now, be sure to tell your mom we want to see you guys some time soon, OK? Even for a lunch or something."

"Will do," I lied. "But I have to go now. Thanks again. Bye." I hung up before he could object and slid to the floor. I prayed he was stay oblivious to my life as he dug into this strange tom's. I fell asleep at my desk, and Etcetera felt the need to wake me up so I could drape myself on my bed and pass out for the rest of the night. Winter break was coming soon. Soon, I would be on my way to Victoria and Quaxo's home. Soon, I would be spending each and every day waiting for the phone call that was going to send me off the edge.


	14. The Dream Library

There was no word from my uncle during the last three weeks of school. But he was a busy tom, and I wouldn't be surprised if the ginger tom was hard to track. He seems the type. I focused on my schoolwork and Finals. Etcetera got plastered the night before a final, and completely missed it. She was in pieces. But we are just freshmen; she had plenty of time to make that class up. I hope.

Jemima calmed down a bit, too, and I went to Dr. Jennyanydots when my stress was getting unbearable. She gave me some more exercises and appointments with one of the counselors that massively helped me to completely avoid an attack that I'm sure would have erupted during Finals Week. But school was nothing compared to the drama I'd have to face during Break.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I packed my few things in Quaxo's car, but Victoria was too excited about a queen road trip to let me ride with him. So I folded myself into her tiny little convertible and chatted and laughed with her during the whole two-hour trip. We planned days when we would work out, and days when we would practice dancing. She was very focused on keeping in shape for next semester. I was very focused on surviving until next semester. Part of that included being a pleasant guest and saying 'yes' to pretty much anything. Good thing that wasn't too hard for me.

My eyes popped when we pulled up to her house. No, scratch that. My eyes popped when we pulled up to her mansion. The place HUGE. And all white. Maids and butlers came about helping us unpack and showing me to my room (I promise you, I got very lost). I tried to help the one queen unpack my stuff, but Victoria came up and almost dragged me down to dinner. The three of us ate in the kitchen.

"We really only eat at the table when my dad's home," Victoria explained. "And that's not very often." Really? Well...that kinda sucked. But she said it so nonchalantly, I stored that thought away for later consideration.

"You like it so far?" Quaxo asked.

I looked at the two of them for a moment. Should I tell them this was incredible? That I had never in my life imagined myself even stepping paw in a house like this? With maids and butlers about doing the cooking and cleaning and putting my things away for me? Should I tell them that I had no idea how I was supposed to react?

"It's really nice," I said weakly. Both cousins grinned at me. I suspect they knew what was going through my mind. Or at least Quaxo did. He wasn't born to this life in this house. Did he feel the same the first time he walked into this house?

"I'm glad," Quaxo said.

"Lect, you like to read, don't you?" Victoria asked. I nodded at her. "Quaxo you should show her the library." Quaxo chuckled.

"And why won't you?" He eyed his cousin.

"Because I just got home," she said rolling her eyes. "I'm ready for a nice, long, bath. Besides, you like the books better than I do, anyway." With that, she set her plate in the sink and padded out of the kitchen. I stared after her. I really liked the queen, I did. She was a really good friend. But she was so spoiled. I wondered how she survived dorming life for so long.

Quaxo chuckled at the look on my face. "Hey, she survived the semester," he said with a laugh. "That was something I was pleasantly surprised to see." We shared another laugh before putting our plates in the sink on top of hers. "Ready for this?"

"For what?" I asked, my head cocked. He laughed at me.

"The library," he said. "It'll knock your socks off."

I chuckled at him and shook my head. OK, sure, in this big house, a real in-home library. It had to be puny. Yeah, imagine my surprise.

He made me close my eyes when we approached the door. I rolled my eyes but did as he said. He took my paws and led me inside. I couldn't believe we were still in one room with as far as we were walking.

"OK, now." I opened my eyes and my mouth dropped. The place was huge. Both our suites could fit into this place with plenty of elbow room. The walls were lined with books upon books upon books. There was even a ladder that ran along the wall like you see TV. There were desks littered about the room, placed just so to catch the sunlight from the huge windows. I saw Quaxo sitting on one of the desks, grinning from ear to ear. Reader, it was like a scene from a movie.

"Guess you like it," he stated.

"I've never seen so many books in my life," I gasped.

"You mean, besides in a public library?" My ears fell. Yeah, the school's library probably had even more books. Now I had just made a fool of myself. I walked over to him and sat in a chair. I think he sensed my mood, and quickly added, "but they need to put those books in different rooms on different floors in different sections. These volumes are marvelously disorganized, you'll never know which book you'll pick up next." I chuckled and looked around again.

"No organization whatsoever?" I asked.

"Nope. There was a book I read once when I was kid. Left it on this table right here. Next time I came, couldn't find it anywhere. Still haven't found it." I laughed with him. With a place like this, and company like him, this Break was going to be wonderful.


	15. The Worst News Ever In the World

My break was going beautifully. It had only been a week so far, but it was great. It was wonderful. We were having so much fun hanging out and relaxing; I even completely forgot about the phone call I was supposed to be worried about. I mean, he called every other day, but I didn't think about how he was bound to lose his patience soon. I was too busy enjoying myself.

On Friday, Quaxo and I were in the library when my phone went off. I glanced at the name and put my phone on the table.

"Don't wanna talk to 'em?" Quaxo asked. I glanced up at him and shook my head with a slight grin. Nope. Wasn't going to say a word to him. I turned my eyes back to my book, waiting for the phone to shut up.

I jumped when my voice mail alert sounded. Oh, no. This wasn't going to be good. I glared at the phone for a few minutes. Quaxo watched me curiously. Finally, I closed my book with a sigh and picked up my phone. All the blood drained from my face as I listened to the voice mail.

_"Electra, we haven't heard from you in months. You haven't answered our phone calls, e-mails, nothing. You're lucky we keep your phone on. You're lucky we don't go up there and pick you up ourselves. But it has been too long since we've seen you. I found out where your staying—at that Bustopher Jones' place. We're coming up this weekend to have lunch. See you tomorrow." click._

No. Nononononononono. This was not good. This was not OK. They couldn't come here. I couldn't see them. They were going to try to talk me into going back. They were going to ruin everything. They could not come here.

My lungs wouldn't work. They refused to expand. My head was spinning and I was sure I was going to be sick. This was not going to be OK.

"Electra?" I heard him, but I refused to respond. I couldn't. "Electra! Hey, can you hear me?"

"Quaxo, I—" Victoria came in. I heard them talking. I couldn't make out what they were saying. I didn't care. They couldn't come here. He couldn't come here. I didn't want to see him. I didn't want to sit and listen to him and let him talking me into going back home. Not after everything I've done. I couldn't let him do this to me. I couldn't let him ruin everything!

oOoOoOo

Fifteen minutes, this time. Fifteen, long, miserable, agonizing minutes. I'll never, ever call Victoria selfish again. Poor Quaxo was clueless. Victoria was a genius helping me out. Except for the call to the doctor. He came in and looked me over. Tried talking to me, but I refused to tell him about anything. Hey, I didn't know this tom. The idiot prescribed me pills. I made a note to tear up the prescription once I was in my room.

"Thanks, guys," I said quietly, sitting awkwardly on the couch with the blanket about my shoulders. I always felt better when cuddling into a blanket.

"We're just glad you're alright," Quaxo breathed. Poor tom must have been a nervous wreck. He sure was acting like he had.

"But, uhm...you know...You don't always have to call the doctor when I have an attack..."

"We don't?" Victoria asked, her and Quaxo's wide, questioning eyes made me chuckle.

"No. Usually you just wait for me to get over it. Tantomile only called for Dr. Jennyanydots that one time so that she was aware that I was a cat on the campus with this problem."

"Oh." Victoria looked down, seeming a little embarrassed.

"So, uhm...what was wrong?" Quaxo asked.

I shook my head. "I...don't want to talk about it..."

"Well...I don't mean to press, but won't the attacks lessen if you talk about what's bothering you? Relieve the stress?"

I sighed and looked down at my paws through the blanket. I couldn't talk about it. There was no point. I didn't want my friends to know all the deep, dark misery of my life. The only thing that should matter to them are the bright spots. My dancing and chatting and having fun with all of them. It's best to keep everything else to myself.

"Electra?" His dark eyes were pleading with me. I finally sighed and gave in.

"My parents are coming to see me," I said weakly. Both cats seemed pretty confused.

"This sounds rude," Victoria said, "but, what's wrong with that?"

I shook my head and rung some of the blanket through my fingers. "I hate them. Well, I hate my step-father. He's a miserable, horrible, evil tom." Reluctantly, I began a narrative of my teenage life living in that house...


	16. My Worst Secret, Fully Revealed

_ I've hated him since the very beginning. From the moment I walked into the house and was welcomed by his stench hanging from every corner of the house. 'How long has he been here?' I wondered. I heard the two of them in the bedroom. I rolled my eyes and turned to go to my friend's house, unaware that that would be the last time I would leave that house on my own for any reason besides school._

"It was horrible talking them into letting me come to college," I told my friends, holding back the stupid tears. "I still don't know how I managed it, but I know that if I see them again, they're going to talk me into going back home for good. They still have things to hang over me."

"Well, like what?" Victoria asked.

"Money, mostly. They pay my phone, they pay some fees from the school..."

"You could get a job," Quaxo suggested. "Soon enough, you could pay for your own phone and pay those fees."

"I thought about that," I said softly. "But as long as they're paying for me, I'm not allowed to get a job. If he finds out I have one before I can earn enough money to pay the school fees, I'll be kicked out. I wouldn't be able to pay the penalty."

The three of us sat and thought through this. Well, I was more keeping busy fretting about tomorrow's lunch.

"Vicky," Quaxo asked, "don't you think your dad would be willing to help? Until she got up on her feet?"

"Quaxo that's a genius idea!" Victoria brightened up and turned over to me with a huge smile. "My father wouldn't mind at all paying your bills until you can do it yourself! You can even stay here during breaks, find a job here!" My heart jumped in my throat.

"I-I couldn't...really..." Let this tom I didn't even know pay my bills? That was just so...so... I couldn't possibly impose so much. He probably didn't even know I was here right now! He probably didn't even know my name.

"Trust us, Electra," Quaxo said more calmly. "It's a great set up. If we add you on our phone plan, it'll be less than if you had your very own. And my uncle will understand when we explain the situation." My face drained. They were going to tell this tom that I never even met about my whole life misery?

"Well, none of it will matter. I'm not exactly the strongest-willed queen out there. He'll talk me into going home one way or another." It was a weak argument, but the only one I had.

"We'll have lunch here," Quaxo said. "Victoria and I will be with you. We'll be there to back you up. Encourage you."

"Guys, I really appreciate all your help, really," I said. "But I really couldn't."

"Why not?" Victoria whined. "You're our friend Lect. We want to help you if your family won't. _And_ we're capable of doing it, too."

"C'mon, Lectra," Quaxo insisted softly. "Trust us. It's going to work. And soon you'll be on your own two feet."

It took another five minutes, but I finally gave in. It helped that the very idea of being rid of my step-dad forever was a more wonderful thought than that of chocolate rain.

Forgive me, Reader, but I suppose I haven't quite expressed the cruelty of this tom to you adequately, yet. Let me give you a few specific examples:

_I closed my eyes as he yelled at me, wishing I could close my ears the same way. Just because there was a little spot of dirt on the entire floor._

_ "Mia asked me to go to her house." "No." "Why not?" "Because you have chores to do." "Well, when I finish my chores?" "No." "But why not!" "Shut up and get your chores done!"_

_ I stayed after school. I did not want to go home. So I disobeyed them and stayed after and had fun with my friends. That was on Friday. By Tuesday, it was decided my bruises and cuts were healed enough for me to go to school and my mom brushed my fur that morning to make sure it covered them all._

_ I sat at the table, in the middle of another damn attack. I couldn't breathe. I was shaking. My heart was racing and I knew I was going to throw up. I had screwed up on something. Both of them were yelling at me to stop being so dramatic. They told me to go to my room, he hit me when I couldn't move._

Yeah, OK. That's enough.

That night, I laid in bed, having an impossible time calming myself enough to sleep. Everything was set up, I had sent a text telling them to meet me here. One of them had said 'Ok.' We had the whole conversation planned out. But I couldn't help but think it was all going to be ruined by a single word or sentence from him. I suppose because he's done that to me. I suppose because he has me so trained, now, to fear him.

I know at this point I should be saying something like 'well, he can't scare me anymore!' or, 'he's just a lowly little fly squashed on my windshield, now.' But it's not true. Yes, I have changed so much for the better this semester. But I was still terrified. I still wasn't ready for this.

* * *

><p><em><strong>I apologize that this whole deal is going much more slowly than I planned. Do you guys agree? Or is the pacing of this whole thing alright? Please feedback! :)<br>**_


	17. The Miserable Lunch

I spent the whole morning dreading lunch like a kit spends all day dreading his imminent visit to the dentist. Could you blame me? This was probably become the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life. If they talked me into going home, I can't even begin to tell you the Hell they would put me through for weeks on end. But Quaxo and Victoria were determined to keep me sane. All three of us stretched and practiced some dancing before breakfast. They had me help them to cook my famous Breakfast Trout recipe (which was fun). Victoria even joined Quaxo and me in the library.

That was when the doorbell rang. Right at noon. And Quaxo reached the door before one of the maids did. He graciously invited them in, and I was suddenly surprised at his polite demeanor. He could be very proper and proud when he wanted to be. Like a real aristocrat or something.

I cringed at the sight of my family walking into the living room. My mom was a beautiful calico queen. But her beauty was outshone for me by her too-big belly. My mother was pregnant. What college cat's mother is pregnant?

The next cat I saw was that little brat. Patches was a miserable little snot that smiled and giggled with you then kicked your shin when his parents weren't looking. I hated that little terror. And now my mom was about to pop out another one.

It was hard hiding my uneasiness when I looked at my step-father. Bill Bailey is a brown tortoise-shell and looks an awful lot like me. But we are not related. At all. I promise. His eyes are almost always narrowed, making him look mean whether he smiled or yelled. To this day, I have no idea what my mom saw in him.

"Hi, guys," I said as politely as I could to my family. "These are my friends, Quaxo and Victoria. Uhm, this is my family. Bill Bailey, Layla, and Patches." They exchanged polite nice-to-meet-you's and other pleasantries before we were told that lunch was ready.

It was like a fancy dinner. We sat at the huge table (Quaxo at its head), and the maids served us.

"What a nice place you have here," Bill commented. "How nice of your friends to let you stay here with them." I merely nodded at him and stared at my salad. Trying to make me feel guilty for imposing on my friends. But I already had that without his help.

"We love having her here," Victoria said happily. "I finally have someone to talk to! Quaxo and I have almost nothing in common and Electra and I talk about everything."

"You two are brother and sister?" my mom asked.

"Cousins," Quaxo clarified. "My parents passed away seven years ago. So I moved in with Victoria and my uncle." I looked up to gouge my parents' reactions. Bill had the perfect poker face. But my mom's eyes grew a little sad.

"Where is your uncle?" Bill asked.

"Business trip," Victoria said simply. "So, what did you want to talk about?" Change the subject. Get down to business. Victoria definitely knew what she was doing.

"Well, we'd really rather talk to Electra on certain matters alone," my mom tried.

"There's no reason for that." I did it. I finally spoke. I couldn't help but cringe under Bill's gaze, though. "I-I mean... Quaxo, Victoria, and I are really close. Anything you have to say they can hear. They won't judge or tell anybody."

"Well...Patches." The little snot jumped up from his seat where he had been pretending to throw croutons at me. "Tell Electra what you told us yesterday." He took a moment to think, but finally remembered what he had been told for days to say.

"I really miss Lectra," he recited. "I wanna know when you're coming home." He pulled a really pathetic pouty-face that anyone would fall for had they not known how fake it really was. Like I would really wanna come home after that. But I didn't dare say 'never.' Didn't want to start any riots, here.

"You're not planning on going home during break, are you, Lect?" Quaxo asked me. I started to panic. Was he going to make me say it? "I thought we made plans to go to the theater and movies up until school started again?" I let out a breath.

"Yeah, no, Quaxo," I pretended to assure him. "I'm not going to skip out on our plans."

"But we miss you," my mom said. "And, as you can see, I could really use your help around the house. Or at least come visit. For the next couple days or so."

They continued with one trick after another throughout lunch. I watched at Bill's patience thinned and thinned until we were all almost done with lunch.

"Electra," he said quietly. Dangerously. "You're coming home with us." I shivered deep inside. But I didn't let it show. Quaxo and Victoria were here. Not to mention all the other cats in the house. He couldn't hurt me as long as I was here.

"No, I'm not." My eyes almost popped, I couldn't believe I just said that. Then all Hell broke loose.

* * *

><p><strong><em>I'M ALIVE! I have a slight idea for a new story, but I thought you guys deserved another chapter before I began yet another story XP. Here ya go :).<br>_**


	18. All Hell's Broken Loose

He looked at me with those I'm-going-to-destory-you eyes. But I tried not to let it falter my determination. "I-I want to stay here...for the break." Silence.

"Electra," Bill growled, standing up. "This is not a game. You're coming home with us. Now." He was about to explode. Would he explode with other cats around? It looked like he was going to. I prayed he wouldn't. And I thanked Bast for the table separating us.

Quaxo stood. "If she doesn't want to leave, I don't think you should try to make her." How could he be so calm? Well, I suppose calmness was the best strategy in this situation.

"You'd better stay out of this, kitten," Bill told him. "This is a family matter." He returned his gaze to me. "Do you want to keep going to that damn school of yours? Do you like that little phone of yours? Then you're coming home!" I glanced at my mom; I stared at her as she stared at her plate, her hand holding her head up and separating her from her husband. The brat was watching the two of us with bated breath. My long silence only pissed Bill off more.

I heard paws shuffling, and a grunt. I looked up to see Quaxo holding Bill back. "Maybe you guys should...go home and...let Lectra be." I couldn't believe Quaxo was able to hold him back as well as he was. I watched Victoria as she came to stand beside me, another barrier to keep him from me.

It took another ten minutes and plenty of yelling and screaming from Bill, but Quaxo finally kicked my family out with the help of a couple butlers and the cook. Victoria had me in half a hug as I tried to stop the quickly-approaching anxiety attack. He wasn't going to just give up like that. He hated losing. Even his step-daughter he never really liked, anyway. And now I was fully dependent on my friends. He could cause trouble for my friends. This had been a stupid idea. Stupid stupid stupid! I should just walk out right now and go home and face his wrath like a big queen. But my legs wouldn't budge.

"I'm sorry." I didn't realize I said it until Victoria started going off about how it was no problem, they were my friends, this was pretty much expected, yadda yadda yadda. Quaxo came into the room, and rubbed my arm. He tried to offer me a sympathetic smile, but I stared down at my toes. I also couldn't shake the embarrassment. That was my family. And my family had just behaved like boars at my friends' home.

When I finally calmed enough, Victoria walked me to the living room and popped in a movie. We would have to start up on all the financial stuff soon. Quaxo tried telling me that was a quest for tomorrow. We spent the rest of the day downing hot chocolate and watching movie after movie. I went to bed already dreading the nightmares. I couldn't get to sleep. I knew he was going to come up with another way to get me. Like I said, he hated losing.

oOoOo

I saw his face. That horrible, evil face as he sent blow after blow at my poor, abused body. I couldn't help but think how hard dancing was going to be for a couple days. Or weeks. I stopped breathing, trying to breathe in and out only made the pain worse. I heard him screaming and yelling at me. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but it wasn't important. I knew I couldn't escape him. It was stupid of me to ever think I could.

"STOP!" I woke up with a scream, and I found myself sitting up in the bed at Quaxo and Victoria's house. I was gasping for breath, and so hot that I had thrown my covers from the bed in my sleep. It didn't take too long for a maid come in. Donna, I think her name was. Quaxo and Victoria were there soon, too, and Donna went to make some tea.

"Lectra, are you alright?" Victoria asked restlessly. Her fur was all mussed up, I couldn't decide if it was because of how she slept or how she woke up at the sound of my scream.

"Just a...bad dream..." I said quietly, curling my knees up to my chest and hugging them. He was going to find a way to me. I knew he was.

Quaxo rubbed my knee. "Want to talk about it?" he asked. What a sweet tom he was. I was silent for a moment.

"You know how they say you can't feel pain when you're dreaming?" I asked them. They looked at each other with confused faces but nodded at me. "That's not true. For all intense and purposes, that hurt." I gave a small chuckle. It was kinda funny, how that common belief wasn't true. And I was relieved to feel that my body was whole and not aching at each and every move I made.

They tried to smile with me as I chuckled, but I didn't blame them for not being as light-hearted at the thought as it made me. Hell, they weren't the ones going through all this shit. They weren't the ones trying to push away the negative thoughts that kept crawling up through the cracks of their minds every second they were or were not paying attention. They weren't the ones that already had an emotional problem to begin with. It was just me.

They talked me into going downstairs with them where Donna gave us the most delicious tea I'd ever tasted. I made a mental note to ask her later how she did it so well. We sipped in silence in the living room, watching the infomercials on TV. I finally looked at the clock; 3:00AM. I had woken them at three AM. And they were still up with me. I felt so horrible.

I blinked when I felt a blanket being draped across my shoulders. I hadn't even noticed Quaxo moving around, and now he sat beside me. Victoria took her place on my other side, draping her arm across me and resting her tired head on my shoulder. After a few minutes, I leaned my head on Quaxo's shoulder, and it didn't take long for all three of us to be asleep again.

I was scared. Terrified. Anxious. Happy. I was all screwy with my emotions and thoughts running all over the place, and I was the only one that could put order to it. I was, in a sense, alone. But...my friends were here by my side.


	19. A New Semester, a Better Me

The nightmares kept coming, but they started to dwindle as time went on without a single sign of anyone from my family. I blocked them from all virtual communication, and I got a new phone from Quaxo and Victoria's plan, in which I blocked my family's numbers. While I was in the process of blocking them all, I got an e-mail from my mom asking if I even cared about the kitten. Didn't I want to know its gender? Its name?

Nope. Don't care. At all. Delete.

It felt good, with each blockage and deletion I made. I grinned to myself when that whole process was done.

The rest of my break went beautifully (except for an occasional nightmare or two). The three of us went to plays, dances, ballets, movies, everything. We met up with friends from school and I met some of their old high school friends, too. I called my old high school friends, but I didn't fill them in too much. I just told them that I missed them and hoped there would come a time when we could get together again. Honestly, it didn't matter that much to me. I was pretty much a social outcast since middle school (when I was on those meds that fucked me up. Go figure!)

I never did meet the great Bustopher Jones, but I heard his voice on the speaker phone when Quaxo and Victoria were asking him to help me out. It really had been as easy as they anticipated, it was a five-minute phone call.

Victoria and I giggled and chatted all the two hours back to school. We looked over our schedules, we had Dance together with Quaxo again. But it kinda was the only dance class at our level that the school had. It was a small school.

Within the next few days, I found out I had a few friends in other classes. Jemima was in my Creative Writing, and Etcetera and Bombalurina were in my Geology lab (Geology always fascinated me. My friends didn't share my interest in it). Tumblebrutus was in my Math class (and I soon figured out I had to tutor him in that, too), Munkustrap and Tantomile were in my Critical Reading, and Pouncival, Plato, Alonzo, and Mungojerrie were in my other History class. Literally every class had at least one familiar, friendly face. I was suddenly very grateful that my roommate was excruciatingly social.

It was within the first few of class when I finally heard from my uncle, too. He had a hard time finding much, that's why it took so long. And he confided in me that, since he wasn't technically on that case, he had to do his research under the table, so to speak.

He found precious few clues. He goes by many names, depending on where he was or what he was doing. Goldie, John, Deuce, Napoleon, Dioces, Spartan, and Red were the ones I could remember best. He said he couldn't figure out what his real name was. He said that the last time he was spotted was when he attacked Jemima here at school. The last time he was heard from, Feast Day calling her. Even the cops couldn't trace that call.

My uncle also told me that he's been arrested for a lot of things. Murder, kidnapping, theft, rape, trespassing, pretty much everything in the book. Yeah, I totally thought Jemima was gonna be safe, now. Naturally, though, I was not going to tell her any of this.

"Thanks so much, Uncle James," I told him quietly as I sat on my bed, my notebook on my lap scribbled with notes on this ginger weirdo. "I really, really appreciate it."

"Electra, you should stop chasing this guy," he told me worriedly. "He's really dangerous. You're going to stop this little quest of yours right now and let the police handle it, OK?" Aw, my poor uncle. He already rattled off all the information I needed to keep going.

"OK," I lied.

"And 'Lectra? I still haven't heard from your mom or anything. I really want to see you guys. You know, everyone does. Think you could give your mom a call?"

"Well, I mean...I could try. But, they're really busy people."

"Well, would you like to have lunch? Please Electra. Hun, we haven't seen you since you were twelve!"

"I'm sorry, Uncle James, but I'm really busy at school. Maybe some other time."

"Electra—"

"Look, I have to go, now. G'bye!" I hit that END button faster than catly possible. I stared down at my notes and sighed at myself. I really wanted to see them. I really missed the rest of my family. They were such a fun bunch. But I couldn't risk it. They would ask me to update them on everything and there's no way I could come up with a lie big enough to encompass it all. And as much as I hated my natal family, I still didn't want to ruin things for them. They could live their lives that way if they wanted. I just had to fight my way out of it.

I shook my head and hid my notes as I heard Etcetera's chattering coming down the hall. I couldn't think about them right now. It upset me too much. I had to focus on school and dancing and my creeping. I was going to unearth this tom's secrets and be the reason he's finally put in jail or even killed.

OK, not killed. Getting a little over-excited, Lect. But I was going to make him answer for his actions towards my friend.


	20. Do You Like?

School, school, school. What can I say about school? It wasn't all too bad. I had an anxiety attack once in March, but that had been a five-minute one. Not too big a deal. I got a few more phone calls from my uncle, but I ignored them all. Every time I saw his name on my Caller ID, my heart broke. But I couldn't risk it. I really couldn't.

No, I had to shift my focus on other things. Dance class was ten times more fun. We were slowly shifting from all that beginners' stuff and getting really into technique and style. One day, after Dance, Victoria and I were in my room working on homework.

"Hey, Lect?" Victoria lowered the lid of her laptop to look at me sitting on my bed.

"Yeah?" I didn't feel the need to turn my gaze from my screen.

"Uhm...you know how you said...when you were living at home..." I looked over at her as she struggled to say whatever she was trying to say. Privately, I was really beginning to dread this conversation. Why did she want to talk about this? "I'm sorry, this is really rude," she continued, "but you said about how during high school, you could never leave the house." I nodded. "So...how did you get so good at dancing?"

I looked down to think about this. To be honest, this had been a secret of mine for the longest time. It wasn't like it was something I really wanted to keep to myself, but it felt weird thinking I was going to tell her. I had an instinctual fear that my parents were going to find out after I told her, and I'd be in for Hell. 'Don't be ridiculous,' I told myself.

I took a breath. "Well, I've been dancing ever since, like, I could walk. Uhm, my grandparents helped pay for weekly lessons for me. Those lessons stopped that Friday that my mom started dating Bill and he refused to take me to class. Sophomore year, I had a teacher that was a dance teacher outside of school. I arranged my schedule for some free periods and we would have lessons in empty classrooms."

Victoria looked me over in shock. Finally, she said, "you did all that just to dance?"

I grinned sheepishly. "Dancing is my life. Well, aside from reading and writing. I would give everything to be able to dance every day."

We talked a little more about dancing before returning back to our work. But that didn't last long.

"You know Quaxo has this huge crush on you."

I blinked and looked back over at my friend. "What?" She grinned at me.

"My cousin. He's got a real big crush on you." I tried to stop the blush from growing on my face.

"How do you know that?" She giggled at me.

"We've been like brother and sister for years! We tell each other everything."

"Oh, well...uhm...thanks for telling me..." I turned my gaze back to my laptop.

"Do you like him?"

"What?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Do you like him?" she repeated more loudly.

"Well...I don't know..." I liked spending time with him. He always made me feel so special when we were together.

Victoria sighed at me again. "You're no help," she teased.

"No, I'm not," I agreed with her. "Might have something to do with how I'm trying to write a paper." Her eyes widened before she laughed at me and dropped the topic. She returned to her laptop as I realized I was not going to get any more work done that afternoon. I was too busy thinking about Quaxo.

oOoOoOo

A couple nights later, I was fast asleep in bed when I heard pounding on my door. I miserably turned around to see Jemima helping a stumbling Etcetera into the room. I blinked at them.

"Sorry, Lect," Jemima said softly.

"Yeah, Lect, sorry!" Etcetera said much more loudly before collapsing into giggles. Jemima set Etcetera on her bed and asked me to come outside. I closed the door behind me, standing with Jemima in the hallway. She reeked of alcohol, too, but she apparently wasn't drunk anymore.

"Etcetera got arrested," Jemima told me. I couldn't stop my eyes from widening in shock.

"Arrested!"

"The party got busted. She was so drunk, and she smart-mouthed a cop." I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Oh, Etcetera.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Not one of the best examples of my work, but I'm still figuring out how to set up for the ideas I have for the rest of the semester! Wheeee~<br>_**


	21. Happy Me

Well, naturally, Etcetera woke up with a killer hangover. And guess what? She had a test today. I remembered her telling me about it. I made sure her desk was stacked with filled water bottles before I made my way to Tumblebrutus' dorm for his tutoring session. We usually had them there. Interestingly enough, though, Tumblebrutus wasn't very much into studying today.

A couple hours later, I was grinning like mad as I walked to the athletic building.

...Oh, please! We were just kissing. Really, you read far too much into things.

Anyway, my high from "studying" with Tumblebrutus slowly faded and was replaced by the natural high of exercise and dancing. I frowned slightly, though, when Mr. Skimble asked me to stay back. I stood in the corner with him as everyone else was changing, packing up, and leaving.

"Lectra, you're a really great dancer," he began.

"Thank you," I said cautiously, wondering where this was going.

"I was wondering if you wanted to take part in the final show in May?" My eyes popped. He was talking about the show that the seniors put on to showcase their epicly-awesome dancing skills to the rest of the school and everyone else around that showed up at the theatre.

"What?"

He grinned. "We're short a dancer for the particular show my class wants to put on, and I immediately thought of you."

"Really?" OK, Victoria was an even better dancer than me. She was incredible. What was he thinking?

"Yes, really," he said with a chuckle. "But, uhm, I need to ask a little favor first?" I tilted my head at him. I was still processing that he wanted me in the show in May. "How good are you at modern-style dance?"

Within a few minutes, I was going all-out to a couple of my favorite songs. Stomping to the fast beat and reciting the lyrics in my mind. It would be pretty mortifying, dancing all alone in front of him, but, as I've mentioned before, dancing led me into my own world.

"That was...exceptional."

Soon enough, I was walking back to my dorm, trying to figure out how I was going to handle dancing with all those seniors in rehearsals and the show itself. But, naturally, it was beyond exciting.

But I wasn't really going to tell my friends, yet. I mean, it wasn't even my show or anything. They didn't need to show up or anything. I wanted to save that for my senior year.

Then I realized, who was I kidding? Victoria's the gossip queen. It didn't take long for everyone in the two suites to learn about it. I could tell Victoria was jealous, but she was such a great friend and never acted like she was.

I decided this semester was going beautifully. And it was only getting better. A few days later, I got a text from Tumblebrutus asking me to Benny's. I said I'd love to come, and gathered my money to order a cheap ice cream or something. Imagine my surprise when we walked into the restaurant and were seated at a table all on our own.

Yup, that's right. Tumblebrutus took me on a date. He even paid and everything. Somehow, the queens already knew about it, and bombarded me when I walked back in. Yes, yes, we were dating now. But, really, it was just dating. It wasn't like he proposed or anything.

I wasn't the only one with reason to be all giddy, either. Plato started dating Jemima, Etcetera was dating Pouncival, and Victoria was dating Alonzo. Kinda funny, huh? All of us suddenly getting tomfriends at around the same time.

So, yup. That's pretty much all that happened this semester. Dating, dancing (the rehearsals were so much fun, everyone was so nice! Well, most everyone. There were a couple divas, but that's expected), homework. I didn't really get any further on Jemima's "dad," but he hadn't popped up since Feast Day, and I was too busy with everything else, anyway. I was at Etcetera's for Spring Break. That had been wonderful. Spending a whole week with a whole, loving, normal family. You know, a dad, mom, brother, and sister. And everyone actually loved each other, too. There was no yelling all week. That was wonderful.

My semester was going great. But I should have known better than to expect my life to keep going so well. Something had to happen soon to tear me back down and ruin everything. I learned my lesson that Thursday before the show.


	22. Get Out

It was the last day before the big show. I decided to head to the dance studio in the athletic building to rehearse one more time. I was almost glad to find that absolutely no one was around; I had the floor to myself. I could blast the music for the show and practice each and every step. I put my bag in the locker, tied on my shoes, hit "play," and stepped onto the dance floor.

I felt like I could die when I saw that door open in the mirror. I whirled around to face him.

"W-what are you doing...here?" Yeah, I'm really intimidating.

"Bringing you home." He was fast, he was on me sooner than I would have expected. He grabbed my arm, his claws sinking into it as he dragged me out of the room. I casually thought if Mr. Skimble would be mad when he found out I had worn my shoes off the dance floor.

"L-let me go!" I tried to pull from his grasp, despite how much worse it made the pain. But he was too strong for me. "I'm not going with you!"

"We've already got your room packed, all that's left is for you to get in the damn car." It was already packed? Why didn't anyone stop him? Well, maybe no one was around.

My eyes widened when we passed Quaxo and Victoria in the hall. It looked like they were on their way to practice. Bill ignored them. I had a feeling Bill was too pissed to have thought this through very well.

"Hey! Wait!" Quaxo ran up and grabbed Bill. But, as strong a dancer and Quaxo is, Bill was still physically stronger. He threw Quaxo against the wall and sped up his pace.

They didn't catch up to us until Bill was in the process of pushing me into the car. I didn't want to go back. I was not going to go back home. I wasn't going to return to that hellhole. I did the unthinkable. I snarled and scratched Bill across the belly, pushing my claws in with all my might. He stepped back in shock. I took that opportunity to dash out and open the trunk. Victoria instantly grabbed a bag from there, and Quaxo went to stand between me and Bill.

"Get back here!" Bill tried to reach around Quaxo, but the tux followed my example and clawed at him. It deterred him long enough for me to prepare my rampage.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU! I HATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO MY LIFE AND MY FAMILY!" I screamed and shouted at him. I told him he'd ruined everything. I couldn't get together with my own family because of him. I hated my mother because of him. My life was a living Hell every minute of every day because of him. I told him I wasn't going to take it anymore. I screamed at him to get out of my life. My screams attracted some attention. Tumblebrutus, Plato, and Alonzo all came down to see if someone was killing me or something. I heard Victoria whisper to Alonzo and Tumblebrutus to grab my things from the car as I finished my rant. "Just don't even think about me anymore! I never want anything to do with you ever again!" I stood there, trying to catch my breath and trying not to faint over the fact that I had actually done it. I had actually, totally, and completely told Bill off. But it wasn't very relieving. I was terrified. The look in his eye as he stared at me in shock, I thought he was about to tear Quaxo to shreds. Then come and tear me to shreds.

But I didn't let him see my fear. I reminded myself to stand tall and firm. I glare at him like the worthless little piece of shit he was. Finally, he spoke.

"Fine," he growled. He stormed his way to the driver's side of the car, and all my friends jumped to grab what they could from the trunk before he drove off. I stayed standing there, glaring at him, until I could no longer see him. Then I started shaking.

Victoria dropped whatever it was she was holding and came to my side. She threw her arms around me, and I broke down. I sobbed and sobbed while Victoria held me close and rubbed my back. I heard the toms moving around, going to put the few things they could grab back in my room. I casually wondered if anyone had managed to grab my laptop and my Critical Reading project. It would really suck if they didn't.

"That's the scariest thing I've ever done in my life," I told Victoria when I was beginning to calm down.

"Really?" I don't think she meant to say it. I think Victoria usually says things without thinking. I suppose yelling and screaming at an ass hole like Bill should be an easy, nothing-to-it thing in her mind. It wasn't like she knew what it was like to be yelled at and beaten up by him on a regular basis. I nodded.

After a few more minutes, Victoria and I made it back upstairs. I had attracted some attention during that whole scene, I knew it. But most cats on campus were polite enough to try really hard to look away and not pay attention. Plato and Alonzo offered me arm rubs. Tumblebrutus embraced me, and I melted in his arms. I gave him a nuzzle before pulling away.

"I need to...re-organize my room."

"Need any help?" I shook my head. "If you...need to go to the store or something, shoot me a text or something. I have nothing going on all day." Yes, he did. He had class in an hour, then a night class. 'Lect, he's your tomfriend,' I told myself. 'He'll skip a week of classes for you.'

"Thanks, I'll let you know." I gave him a small grin being passing by him and walking into my room. My half looked so empty, with a few things littered around to be put away. My laptop (thank Bast), my project (right where I left it, obviously it didn't look important enough for Bill to take), a suitcase, a box, my pillows, and my book collection. Yeah...that was pretty much everything. I didn't own much. With a sigh, I set to work putting everything away, praying I could cheer up enough to do well at the dance the next night.


	23. One Final Thought

If you don't know anything about college cats, the first thing you should know is how much they love to gossip. By the time I made it to Dance the next day, everyone was stopping their whispered conversations to look at me. You know, because they had just been talking about me. Everyone had some convoluted story of what happened to me yesterday, I knew it. But I couldn't think about those things right now. I had the dance tonight.

Mr. Skimble was able to keep most people's attentions away from the gossip during class. He ran us through one thing after another. I'm not sure if that was on purpose or not. But when class was over, the stares continued. Luckily (sorta), Mr. Skimble asked me to stay back a few minutes. He asked me about yesterday, of course. I told him it was just family drama. He asked if I could do the show that night. He told me they could deal without me. I told him that I didn't work this hard just for that little incident to ruin it all. He smiled at me and patted my back. He told me to rest up, and have fun that night. I grinned at him and went back to the dressing room, finding Victoria waiting for me.

"Hey," I said, my eyes wide in my surprise.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Uhm..." I sat on the bench to take off my shoes. "I'm surprised you stuck around." Victoria nodded. We were silent a few more minutes.

"I just figured...you know... You're such a good friend, 'Lect. You deserve to have someone there for you like you are for everyone else." I stopped and looked over at her. She was the last person I would have expected something like that from. And I wasn't really expecting anything like that, anyway. I can handle this on my own. I know I can.

"Thank you..." I said softly. We spent the rest of the afternoon together until she had to go to her night class. Then Tumblebrutus found his way into my room and we couldn't kick him out until I said I had to shower and Etcetera threatened to skin him alive if he even thought about joining me.

Then, it came time to go dance.

I grinned at everyone as I walked in and began warming up. Of course, even they knew of the rumors about the day before. But I wasn't saying anything and we had a show to put on. Before I knew it, Mr. Skimble was telling us to get ready and the lights were dimming and the music was starting and we were in position and the curtain was rising.

I forgot about everything in the world that night. All that mattered was getting the next move down, now hurry to this move. Smile, jump, spin, step. I barely even managed to tell myself to see who was in the audience.

I don't know if I saw everybody who showed up, and I'm not going to go around asking people who did. But I saw Tumblebrutus, Quaxo, and Jemima. Etcetera, I knew, was doing some sort of group project that was the Final for her class.

I was about ready to pass out when the dance was over. But I was grinning from ear to ear. Tumblebrutus met me as I was leaving, a single daisy in his paw.

"They were sold out of roses. And...everything else," he said, rubbing the back of his head. I grinned and leaned up to kiss his cheek. No one had ever given me a flower. He seemed satisfied, and wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we walked back to the dorm.

All that was left was Finals week. Honestly, it was pretty uneventful. I almost had another attack, but that's life with me. Jemima, Etcetera, Victoria, and I signed our lease for the house for the next year, and as far as I know, we all passed our finals. I packed up my things in Quaxo's car, and, again, Victoria insisted on our "queen road trip." As I opened the car door, I glanced back at the dorm building.

So much has happened to me since the first time I looked up at that looming structure, scared at this change in my life. I have gotten so much stronger, wiser, better. I made so many friends. Several to whom I practically owe my life. I smiled and turned away from the building with one final thought: I am so glad I decided to come to college.

* * *

><p><strong><em>I know, I know, I know! It's been, what, a month? I'm soooo sorry ):. School started and all of a sudden I start coming home at the end of the day thinking "...I just don't wanna thinkk~." On top of that, short last chapter ):. But I, at least, gave you all some closure (:. And don't even bother asking about a sequel, XP. Think about all the loose ends I left! I'll be back in December!<br>_**


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